The Ocarina of Time - Book 2: Awakening the Sages
by Local Minstrel
Summary: Seven years have passed since the hero embarked on the quest to collect the Spiritual Stones and thwart the man in black armor from his dark desires. But he had failed and now Hyrule is in Ganondorf's grasp. Still hope burns brightly for if Link can awaken the five Sages scattered throughout the land, they may yet turn back the tide of darkness that covers it.
1. Visions

**Chapter 1: Visions**

The world was chaos

An ocean of red hot lava stretched from horizon to horizon, bubbling and frothing and shooting geysers as high into the air as mountains. The sky that existed here was but a void - not a single star dotted the black canvas above this fiery world. The sound of molten rock grinding against each other and the explosions were deafening. The sharp smell of sulfur pervaded the air so thickly that it choked out life had any been present.

This was the world in the beginning - before Hyrule was created - a roiling mass of molten rock and fire hanging in a black expanse of nothingness.

 _It was then that three goddesses of great power descended upon the chaos._

In the great black expanse flashed a brilliant red light. It was a different red than the seething red of the lava. It was a vivid red - a color of vibrancy, life, power... It grew in the emptiness, becoming larger and more distinct in shape. It was a comet streaking toward the fiery mass, trailing ruby red fire. At the speed it was approaching, it would soon plunge straight into the lava.

But just before that happened, it veered away and shot across the ocean. It weaved above the surface as columns of lava shot into the air as though to catch this vivacious red comet, but it moved much too fast to be caught by something as sluggish as molten rock.

The rock would not give up so easily, however. It's churning increased with a deep rumbling sound. The lava began to spiral. Then from the center of the spiral, a column, much larger than the previous ones, shot into the air, reaching straight up for the comet that was heading right for it. The comet veered upwards, shooting out of its reach. Admitting defeat, the molten rock dropped back in on itself and grumbled.

It appeared the comet had won this contest but the victory was short-lived for its ascent was slowing. It reached the peak of its climb, tipped backwards, and then began heading back down toward the fiery ocean, picking up speed as it fell. Below, the lava rumbled and churned in anticipation as it realized it would have its prize after all.

Faster the comet fell toward the molten surface, which bubbled more and more furiously. Behind the comet flared long tongues of flame, unable to keep up with it as it fell faster and faster - too fast for it to be able to turn away now. It was going to hit.

It plunged into the red liquid. The liquid sank into itself as though swallowing the comet. Then thin columns of lava roared into the air in celebration of its triumph.

Its celebration didn't last long. From its molten body burst the ruby red comet. It shot into the air, shrieking not in pain but with laughter, slowing to a stop just above the surface of the fiery ocean, well within reach of its fiery arms. Yet no arms reared up to reclaim the vivacious comet. The lake of fire had been humbled that something so small had escaped its clutches unscathed.

Now that the comet was no longer moving, a distinct figure could be seen through the ruby flames: a woman of striking beauty and insuppressible spirit. A being of unbridled life, who relished every moment with all that she had - a spirit of fire.

 _Din, the goddess of power…_

Her skin was the white of the hottest star - too bright to look at directly. Her hair was a comet's tail, red and burning, with gold sparks flying from it. Her eyes blazed gold then red then orange. Her nails were ten orange flames on ten white candles.

Her ruby red lips parted in a smile. She slowly descended toward the molten surface. The ocean bubbled again as she came closer but in anticipation of her desire. She threw back her head and laughed. What fun she would have!

 _It was she who forged the hills and the valleys of Hyrule…_

She threw her arms wide, taking in all that she had been given to mold. Then she leaned forward and shot off across the ocean, the ruby fire streaming behind her. She plunged into the liquid fire and then reappeared, dragging up a sheet of lava in both hands. She tossed it up and then blew on it as though blowing out a candle but with the force of a gale. As the sheet of lava fell, it became sluggish and turned dark until it was bobbing in the fiery ocean like a cork. Din smiled with the joy of a little girl and she plunged back into the ocean and came up again with another sheet of lava that she cooled with a great gust of her breath.

Again and again she plunged under the surface and came up to toss the molten liquid around so much like sheets on a bed and blowing on them until they hardened. Gradually the land began to take shape; what started as misshapen rocks bobbing in the sea of fire became islands and then continents until at last all the ocean was hardened into a mass of red earth. She came to rest on a rise that allowed her to overlook her work. She crossed her arms, smiled, and nodded at the sight before her. Her work was complete.

But this new world was far from finished. The goddess of fire had shaped the hills, the valleys, the mountains and canyons, but it was all barren. All was dark rock, still steaming with heat, some that were cracked like an egg, red light glowing from within. The red air was thick with steam, hot and humid. It would not sustain life - not as it was now.

In the dark sky above, a sudden flash of blue attracted the goddess's attention. Her eyes glimmered merrily and her mouth twitched in a playful smile as she watched the blue light grow into a comet streaking for the earth. Just before striking it, it veered off and shot into the horizon. The fiery goddess watched it vanish and then turned in the other direction just as the blue comet appeared on the opposite side. As it approached the hills she stood on, it slowed until it drifted to a stop beside her. It was another woman, beautiful like the first but with a visage of gentleness and patience - of calm reflection and careful reason.

 _Nayru, the goddess of wisdom…_

Her hair flowed down her back in gentle curls of silver clouds. Her sapphire blue eyes swept over the landscape that her sister had created before turning to her and giving her a satisfied nod. The fiery goddess's lips parted to show perfect, white teeth in what was almost a laugh.

Nayru spread out her arms and began to rise. Din crossed her own flaming arms and watched with anticipation. When the goddess of wisdom had risen high enough, she turned herself over and then shot off again towards the horizon.

 _It was she who gave it law to govern the chaos…_

Blue light streamed from her outstretched arms as she flew, spreading out like a blanket to fill up the black expanse and become the blue sky. From her head, threads of silver broke away and began piling against each other against this blue blanket, billowing, stretching, and drifting - forming into thick and puffy clouds, the first on this new world.

These new clouds began to rain. Water fell from their bellies in great torrents that washed over the mountains, racing into crevices, merging with other crevices and becoming rivers that flowed into valleys where they collected in the deep depressions in the earth, creating lakes. The rain moistened the soft earth, turning it dark and rich. It beat upon the rocky lands, breaking them into grains of sand.

Satisfied with her work, Nayru streaked through the sky until she came to land gently next to Din. Din laughed gaily as she realized that the new world was nearly finished. She had created a solid earth. Nayru had created a sky, clouds and water.

But it was still unfinished. There was something else that needed to be done.

In the brilliant blue sky that Nayru had created, there was a flash of emerald green as another comet descended toward this world until it touched the ground next to the two goddesses. This one was just as beautiful as her two sisters, with a carriage of confidence and purpose - a woman who would persist to the end no matter how daunting the task.

 _Farore, the goddess of courage…_

Hair as lush as grass swept down her back. Blooms of every color, shape and size adorned it. Eyes of richest green roamed over this newly developed world, their gaze clear and steady, taking in the task she was set with. She turned to Nayru, who met her eyes with her own brilliant blue ones and nodded solemnly. Then Farore turned to Din, whose eyes sparkled mischievously as she nodded. The green goddess gave a nod to both of them and then turned back to the world awaiting her to complete it.

She stretched out her arms and began to rise into the air. She closed her eyes and brought her hands together in front of her. She leaned forward and then launched across the skies, trailing a blaze of green light.

 _It was she who nurtured the life that would cultivate the richness of the new world…_

Her hair fanned out as she flew, a carpet of blossoms in the wind. From the blossoms, numerous seeds fell, scattering over the bare earth made soft by the recent rain. Within moments, tiny shoots appeared, turning the red earth to green. It spread slowly across the land in a great wave. As it spread toward the hill where the two goddesses stood, Din crossed her arms and smiled in amusement at the cheek the plants had in approaching her while Nayru smiled tenderly and lowered herself to her knees with her arms spread as though to embrace a favorite child.

Across the world, Farore spread the seeds of life - seeds that sank deep into the earth and began to grow, courageously pushing through the hard soil to weather roaring winds and bear the heavy rains in order to bring life to this world. They would face many hardship as they continued to grow, but they had the spirit of Farore in them. They would face these hardship with determination and relentlessness. Though in some places, few of them would endure to the end. Upon the rocky mountains, many seeds died save but the hardiest of brush and some dark fruit.

Farore flew on, heading to the far south. She circled about the area here, spreading copious seeds as she did. Then she came to a stop and slowly descended to the ground. She kneeled and then reached up and plucked a round seed unlike any she had sown before from a green lock that fell over her eyes. She scooped out a hole in the ground. She gave the seed a kiss and then tenderly placed it within the hole and brushed the dirt back in. She closed her eyes and allowed a tear to fall to the ground directly over the spot where she had planted the special seed.

For a moment the spot glowed green. Then it faded. Moments later, a tiny green shoot poked its head out of the grass.

Farore smiled tenderly at it, cradling the frail sprout gently in the cup of her hand. Then she stood, raised her head and shook it, sending out a shower of light. The lights flickered as they floated slowly to the ground, then shapes coalesced within them. They took on the shapes of fairies, who blinked confusedly for a moment and then gazed in wonder at the world around them. Then, with shrieks of laughter, they scattered to explore their new home.

Farore smiled at their delight, pleased with her work. Yet there was more to do. Once again, she shook her head and more motes of light flew from her hair, scattering into the air. As they flew, their lights shifted colors, shimmering and solidifying; and their shapes became distorted, stretching and growing, taking on strange and unique shapes - becoming creatures of different kinds as they were carried on the breath of the wind.

The goddess of the wind was pleased. She rose into the air and then flew off again toward the hill where her sisters stood. They watched the lights floating on the wind, stretching and contracting. Din reached out and touched one of them. Nayru grabbed her wrist to stop her, but it was too late for the light had turned red and was pulsing. It flew on, flashing red and growing. The two goddesses watched it, Din with the smile of a child who had done something she wasn't supposed to and Nayru with the look of a mother admonishing the child.

Then she felt another lump of light brush against her and she wheeled around in surprise. The light turned blue and rippled. The goddess of wisdom reached out to catch it but it flew out of her reach, tumbling along the air currents. She turned to Farore as though to apologize, but her sister only smiled as she watched the lights transforming and growing. She waved her hand and the lights were carried away. She turned back to the two of them and nodded. They returned the nod.

Then Din leaped into the air. After a moment's hesitation, Farore and Nayru leaped after her, becoming green and blue comets chasing after the red comet. The goddess of fire looked down at them, flashed them a mischievous grin, and then shot higher still - a race for home.

 _And when they had completed this task, they returned to the heavens from whence they came…_

As the three comets climbed higher, their tails grew brighter: fiery red, sapphire blue, and rich green. The three colors grew brighter until they eclipsed each other to become a single color - gold. Higher they climbed while this new gold tail grew brighter, spreading across the skies, gilding the clouds that hung there. And still it grew brighter, becoming almost blinding to look at…

And then they vanished in a bright flash and thunderous boom that rippled over the new world. Over and over again the light rippled across the skies, too bright to look at directly, passing like a warm, golden wind.

Eventually the light faded. The green of the trees and the grass became visible again. The deep blue of the sky appeared. The fiery red of the volcanoes burned fiercely again. The golden light was gone.

Except at the hill where the goddesses had departed. There a light shone brightly, washing away the green of the grass and coloring it gold instead. Inside the light something coalesced, becoming solid, while a crystalline note began humming, growing in volume. It rotated and began slowly descending until it hovered just above the top of the hill, supported by the immense power that radiated from it. This was the final craft of the goddesses.

… _leaving one final gift… the remnants of their own power in the form of three golden triangles, which remains even now as Hyrule's source of prosperity…_

Where the golden light touched the grass, it grew taller, darker and stronger. Where its musical thrum echoed, the brooks babbled louder. Where its gaze turned, life flourished. A golden fountain of fertility, wherever its power flowed, it transformed into paradise.

 _And the spot where these triangles came to rest is the land which is known as the Sacred Realm… a land of providence where all who dwelled within it knew only happiness…_

…

Death was everywhere. The air reeked of it. Littered across the hills were hundreds of bodies of slain men, the soil darkened with their blood. A lonely wind carried a wavering note of pain and despair as it passed between the tattered remains of what was once proud banners bearing the coat of arms of each of the seven kingdoms - now fallen.

In the midst of the slaughter there stood six women of unnatural stature, garbed in battle armor speckled red. They stood in a circle around a seventh woman who was on her knees and bound by a gold, glowing chain.

One of the women standing over her spoke, her tone harsh, "Veran, guardian of the kingdom Kasuto, look about you and tell us what you see."

The chained woman raised her head and sneered, "I see the remains of the weak and foolish who dared to rise against me and my kingdom."

"And what of your kingdom? What of those who fought in your name?"

Veran laughed, her tone dismissive, "Expendable. Sacrifices for a greater cause."

"Greater than innocent lives? You brought this war upon the people to rule them yet how many are left to rule? You have nearly brought the humans to extinction in your quest for power and we cannot allow this crime to go unpunished."

"You will kill me then, Venus?" Veran looked up at the other women, her eyes burning with fury. "You would betray your sister - the eldest among you? Fools! My power is greater than yours combined!" She let out a bloodcurdling roar as her eyes became washed in darkness and dark flames erupted on her body.

"Hold fast, sisters!" cried the woman. She reached into the flames and clenched Veran's shoulder. The others joined their hands with hers, gritting their teeth in pain.

The dark sorceress screamed, "I will destroy you fools! Release me and feel my wrath!" The flames rose higher, crackling and rasping, the sound of death.

"Your strength, sisters. She must be destroyed!"

The six women began to glow, their light attempting to drive back the voracious darkness radiating from the sorceress's flames. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, their faces tight with concentration. Their leader, however, was the one most focused, her arm shaking with effort while the light surrounding her grew brighter. And Veran burned within, becoming a twisted shadow beneath the black flames. She laughed, her voice high and savage.

Through her clenched teeth, Venus hissed, "No! You will not escape justice!" and with a cry of effort, she pushed all her power into the dark sorceress. Veran's deranged laughter rose abruptly into shrieks of pain and anger. The shadow that was her body lit up with white light before bursting into a shower of dark flames that curled and twisted in the air like serpents. Upon hitting the ground, they immediately began to flee.

"You cannot escape justice!" Venus took up the golden chain that had fallen to the ground when Veran had burst and flung it into the air like a whip. The chains burst free of each other in a flash of gold and pounced upon the serpentine flames, absorbing them, bubbling and writhing, and finally dropping to the ground. They had shaped themselves into gold skulls and within the eyes red flames burned.

The leader gazed around at all the gold skulls scattered around them. She turned to her sisters and spoke, "We must scatter these. We cannot allow them to rejoin, for if they do, Veran will resurrect and terrible destruction is sure to follow. Hide them deep in the earth and beneath the seas. Seal them away. Seal them away for all eternity."

One of the gathered women stepped forward and bowed. "We shall do as you say."

"And when you are finished," said Venus, "we shall speak of what must be done to rebuild what we have destroyed and… what must be done to prevent such a terrible tragedy from recurring."

In turn, the five women nodded in understanding. Then they all turned and waved their arms, summoning the gold skulls to their hands. Then they leaped into the skies, taking the skulls with them to be scattered across the world in the deepest of holes and the most remote areas. And Venus stood amidst the carnage, her head bowed in sorrow, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

…

Blade clashed against blade, red sparks pouring to the ground, wielded by adversaries who were both exact opposites of each other. The white blade, whose edges were straight and shone with a holy light, was in the grip of an unnaturally tall woman in silver armor; while the dark blade, which was crooked and barbed with lethal spines, was gripped by a demon who appeared as a man but with black scales and red flames for hair. They danced around each other, slashing their swords only to be parried and forced to adopt a new stance to gain the advantage. Meanwhile, above them a great mass of land slowly rose into the air, dirt showering from its underside. A snake-like dragon, whose body was as thick as a tree's, weaved around it, blasting it with jets of fire. On top of the rising landmass, arrows and spears soared toward the dragon in an attempt to drive it away.

The demon leaped away from the woman and slashed the air in frustration. "Foolish, Hylia. You are only delaying the inevitable. I will claim that Triforce for my own and subjugate this pathetic world. Your precious humans will fall before me."

Hylia hissed through clenched teeth, "So long as my heart beats within my breast, I will not allow it!"

The demon threw back his head and laughed, his voice hoarse and contemptuous. "Why do you fight? Your cause is a lost one! Your humans are as frail as newborns and your sisters have hidden themselves away. You have no allies to aid you."

"She has one," said a quiet voice behind him. It came from a young woman in black with white hair and crimson eyes. In the cradle of her hand, a curious artifact hovered within a sphere of soft light - a three-sided spike etched with glowing arcane symbols.

"You, child?" the demon said and then threw back his head and laughed.

A fatal mistake. Hylia rushed forward and thrust her sword through his chest. His laugh became a growl of anguish. He reached down for the blade with the intent of pulling it out, but the woman thrust it deeper and pushed all her power into the blade, causing it to glow to a bright white. The demon gave one last roar of fury before he burst into dark wisps of smoke, his blade dropping to the ground.

The young woman lifted the artifact. The runes glowed and with a rush of air the wisps of darkness were sucked into the spike. As they poured in, the spike grew rapidly until it was almost as large as the young woman. When the last of the darkness had been sucked in, the runes dimmed and the spike dropped.

The woman breathed heavily as though exhausted. She gasped, "It is sealed."

Hylia placed a hand on her shoulder. "Well done, Impa. Your name will live on in history for the victory you have won us today."

Her chest still heaving, Impa gestured to the spike. "The seal will not hold forever. Eventually it will break and he will be free to threaten our world once more."

"Then we will need to find a way to destroy him completely. In the meantime, we can strengthen the seal with the residual energies of the Triforce that has seeped into the earth here." Hylia gestured where they stood. They were in an enormous pit where the walls rose like mountains around them. The earth that had once filled it was now rising above them into the sky.

Looking up at her mistress, Impa gave her a nod. Then she glanced up and said, "What of the dragon? We must stop it before it destroys all the humans you have attempted to save."

Hylia nodded. Then she leaped into the air, raising her shining blade with a ringing sound that drew the dragon's attention to her. It roared a challenge and then twisted its way toward her, fire burning within its gaping maw.

…

It was the largest gathering the world had ever seen. People of all kinds had arrived to partake in this event: the rock-eating Gorons, the aquatic Zoras, the waif-like Kokiri, the noble Hylians, the industrious Humans - all had gathered outside the gates of Hyrule Castle to witness the ceremony. They formed two large bodies, an aisle separating them and leading up to the gates where the King of Hyrule and his family stood. Marching up the aisle were three people: a large Goron with a lustrous gray beard that stretched to his stomach, a female Zora bedecked in pearls and jewelry fashioned from coral, and a Kokiri boy grinning from ear to ear and twirling a piccolo. They marched up to the Royal Family and then bowed formally. The Kokiri boy snickered mischievously.

The king returned their bow. He then announced in a booming voice that echoed to the crowd, "Noble leaders of the tribes of Hyrule. We are gathered today in ceremony to unite our people, to foster trust between us, that we may never claim supremacy over each other but share responsibility equally between us. I present to you, Chief Drakmi of the Gorons, Queen Laruna of the Zoras, and Miro of the Kokiri, the keys to the Doors of Time that safeguards the power of the goddesses, the Triforce." He turned to the his queen who held the silver case in which the three keys - the Spiritual Stones - rested. He took them out one at a time and presented them each to the couriers.

"The Ruby of Din, red as the flames of her arms with which she shaped our fair land.

"The Sapphire of Nayru, rich as the knowledge she bestowed to enrich our experience

"The Emerald of Farore, vibrant as the life she nourished to enable our prosperity

"And the final key my people will keep to ensure the Golden Power's protection, the Sacred Ocarina, whose notes, pure as a child's innocence, can break the seal on the Doors." He turned to the young princess and accepted the instrument she proffered. He then raised it into the air.

The three leaders raised their keys in response, and the gathering cheered their approval. Now none of the tribes had to fear one another. None could access that omnipotent Golden Power without the cooperation of all the others. Surely this was a wise plan and they could expect peace to last in Hyrule for all eternity…

…

A solemn assembly filled the audience chamber. Many of them were dignitaries and servants of the castle, most of whom were engaged in whispered conversations. Two soldiers stood next to the doors with their pikes planted firmly on the ground. At the other end of the chamber, the young queen sat in the throne, with a small, cloaked woman standing at her right arm, her head bowed, hiding much of her face. The queen's own face was taut, her mouth pursed in a grim line. The only movement she made was the slow tap of her finger on the arm of the throne.

The doors opened and a soldier stepped through. He stood at attention, saluted the queen, and then announced, "We have the prisoners, Your Highness."

The queen drew in a breath, a tremor in it that only the cloaked woman noticed, and then spoke, "Bring them in."

With a gesture from the soldier, the prisoners were prodded into the room. The assembly grew still as the three prisoners - all women, two of whom were twins - were marched up to the queen. The twins stumbled fairly often and seemed a bit frazzled by this treatment, but the third woman, young and strikingly beautiful with her red hair, carried herself with the poise of royalty, a haughty smile on her face, even with the manacles on her wrists and ankles.

They paused before the queen. The twins gibbered nervously, glancing at all the solemn faces surrounding them. The young woman gazed at the queen evenly, still smiling.

The queen's eyes grew hard. Her voice reverberated throughout the room as she spoke, "Aleika, duchess of the eastern territories, and Mages Koume and Kotake, you have been charged with the crime of conspiring against the crown of Hyrule."

The twins' gibbering became more agitated. Aleika merely smiled, her expression mocking.

"You attempted to create civil unrest among the tribes. You attempted to steal the Spiritual Stones that they protect, and then…" the queen's voice rose, "you murdered King Manau and attempted to blame the Gorons for it. All of this to dethrone me and claim the crown for yourself - to take possession of the Triforce that we so carefully guard."

"We're only doing what we feel is best for Hyrule, dear," said Aleika sweetly. "It is quite obvious to everyone that you are ill-suited for the task of ruling a kingdom. You are weak and foolish. You stoop to fraternizing with the common folk and lesser beings, seeking their _opinions_ and," she laughed, " _wisdom_. Why, you've even made this scum your advisor!" She gestured to the woman beside the queen. "If you are not mad then at the very least you are foolish."

The queen's eyes flashed but she managed to maintain her composure. She leaned forward, gripping the arms of the throne, turning her knuckles white. "It is clear that you have no remorse for your actions. You are a threat to our peace and that is something I and the people of Hyrule cannot tolerate. As such, it is my responsibility to find you a fitting punishment."

"Would it please Your Grace…" one of the twins murmured.

"And what will you do?" Aleika mocked, spreading her manacled hands. "Send us back home? Implore us to behave? Maybe you'll send your Sheikah lapdog to monitor us? We have some spells we'd like to try out." She laughed.

The queen got abruptly to her feet, her face livid. "I will not tolerate these offenses any longer! You, Aleika, and your aunts are hereby banished to the Gerudo Wastelands for all eternity!"

The twins gasped aloud in horror, wailing, "Oh, dear me, have mercy on us!" Aleika, however, let out a harsh laugh and cried, "Banishment? This is a bit extreme for you, Zelda dearest; you dare not raise a finger against the lowlifes that congest this land and yet you would sentence your own cousin to a fate worse than death? For once, I am impressed."

"And furthermore!" the queen roared, "a curse will I have placed upon you that you will have but one male born to you and your descendants every one hundred years, and he will have dominion over you as your king. You will know the agony under the rule of a tyrant! So I decree and so it shall be!"

The delegates in the chamber reacted in surprise, murmuring agitatedly. Even the queen's advisor seemed surprised by this. Aleika's face turned red and she shouted angrily. "You mean to call me a tyrant? It is your weakness that will see this kingdom fall! If I shall have a tyrant, you will have weak rulers! You and your descendants will find yourselves helpless against every peril that threatens. My family shall war with yours and dominate your kingdom, I promise you!"

Queen Zelda swept her hand angrily. "Take them away!"

The three prisoners were taken away, Aleika struggling against her chains and shouting threats while the twins begged for mercy. When they were gone, the audience began murmuring again. Queen Zelda collapsed into her throne, putting her hand wearily to her head.

"My Queen," her advisor spoke. "Are you all right?"

"Dismiss them, please Impa," she answered with a wave of her hand.

"Yes, my Queen." She turned to the delegates and ordered them out. When they had all filed out of the chamber, she turned to the queen.

"I made a mistake, Impa," said Queen Zelda, her voice wavering. "I reacted hastily in anger. That curse…"

"You cannot revoke it," said Impa quickly. "The King's word is law. To go back on it will void all other laws, and if that happened, order would dissolve into chaos."

The Queen bit her fingers in anguish. At length, she spoke, "She was right then. I am a weak ruler."

"Compassion is not a weakness. Yet it must be tempered by authority. You gave her the chance to accept your authority, but it was her choice to challenge it. In other words, my Queen, you did what you had to."

"Yet I fear I've created an enemy that will plague our people for years to come," said the queen direly. A tear slid down her cheek.

…

The sky flickered orange and black, echoing with the roar of flames. A thick smog rolled across the land, smothering everything. Dark shapes sometimes appeared, wading through the smoke until they vanished again.

Then a larger shape emerged, moving quickly. It was a gray horse with two riders on its back, a woman in a baggy cloak and a small child that she had tucked close to her. They fled the destruction behind them, the woman keeping her head bowed. She pressed the hem of her cloak against the nose and mouth of her child so that he would breathe as little of the foul smoke as possible. With the smoke obscuring everything from sight, she was unable to see where they were fleeing. She could only trust that her faithful steed would take her to safety.

Eventually, the darkness of the smoky red sky became the soft shade of trees, and the choking smell of fire was replaced by the more pleasant smell of pine and earth. But for a while, the rider did not stop. Only when they had penetrated deeper into the forest did she allow the horse to come to a halt. She then carefully dismounted, helping her little child down. But as she did, she was overcome by a fit of violent coughs and she dropped him on the ground. He immediately began crying. She hastily scooped him into her arms and began rocking him, trying to pacify him while stifling her own coughing.

Suddenly her horse shrieked in terror, rearing up on its hind legs. The woman turned, using her body to shield her child from the horse's kicking legs. With another shriek, the horse reared again and then galloped away into the forest. Its clopping soon faded into the quiet of the forest, save for the wailing child.

The quiet didn't last long. There was soon growling that even the little child's crying couldn't mask. The woman turned her head to the sound. She saw first their yellow eyes, and then the rest of their mangy bodies emerged. Drool hung from their yellow teeth, and black claws slid out to their full length. The woman gasped fearfully and pressed her child to her heart, making him shriek all the louder. She backed away from the wolfos as they pressed close, growling menacingly. She backed into a tree, unable to move any farther while the mangy beasts surrounded her. She was trapped.

The wolfos closed in on the woman and her child, acting as one unit… except for an overeager pup who was getting too far ahead of the pack. The lead wolfo gave it a reprimanding bark to get back in formation. The rest of the pack watched curiously. With a snap of its jaws, the leader managed to whip them back under its authority. They turned back to their prey and continued forward, growling again.

Then there was another distraction. A distant sound behind them that caused them to turn away from the woman and child. They strained their ears, cocking them forward to catch the sound. A terrified whinny. The sound of prey much larger and tastier.

The pack looked at each other, communicating the question of whether they should go after this more promising meal instead. The lead wolfo hesitated, rotating its ears as it considered. It glanced into the hungry eyes of its fellow wolfos. Then at last it pulled its lips back and growled decidedly at them. They already had their prey cornered. They would take care of it first and then go after the larger meal.

Having made this decision, it spun back to the woman and her child, the rest of them following suit. Then they yipped in surprise and turned their heads in confusion. The leader pulled its lips over its fangs and growled angrily. The prey had vanished!

The flap of the woman's cloak disappearing behind a tree drew their attention. The leader barked and then charged after her. The rest of the pack gave chase behind him, baying excitedly The prey would not get far. It could not outrun them.

Yet she ran, still clutching her crying child tightly to her chest. Her breath came out in short, ragged bursts. Her cloak flapped behind her, tearing as it was snagged on outstretched branches. It didn't slow her down though. She was running desperately for her life and the life of her child.

The wolfos chased her deeper into the forest. The trees grew thicker and taller here, and she stumbled on large roots that thrust out from the ground. With all of these obstructing her path, the emaciated beasts were gaining quickly on her for they slipped easily between the trees and leaped lithely over the roots.

She came to a stop with a gasp for she had nearly run into a ravine that seemed to run right through the center of the forest. Gasping for breath, she glanced quickly right and left for a way around the ravine. Almost immediately she spotted a small bridge of weathered gray wood and rope. She ran for the bridge, stumbling and nearly falling in her eagerness to reach it before the wolfos caught her. Running onto the bridge, she collapsed with a gasp as it bounced under her, throwing her off balance. She risked one hand to grasp the rope, pulled herself to her feet, and quickly felt along it toward the other side.

A wolfo suddenly pounced onto the bridge, throwing the woman onto it again. Fortunately she still had the rope in her hand and was able to pull herself back up. She had twisted in the fall though and was facing the wolfo who was crossing the bridge slowly towards her, its lips bared in a snarl. The bridge shuddered under their combined weight, causing the woman to stumble more than once, but she kept backing away.

Then she stumbled and fell when her foot backed onto solid ground and she lost her grip on the rope that guided her. The jar caused her child to act up again, crying loudly. The wolfo broke into a trot, which became a run and then a leap with its mouth wide open to catch her neck in its sharp yellow teeth. The woman kicked and writhed on the ground in a desperate effort to avoid the incoming monster but in vain. The wolfo had her!

But as it descended to sink its fangs into her flesh, a branch whipped seemingly from out of the air and caught the beast under its belly, sending it flying back with a yelp. It fell into the ravine, landing hard on the stony ground below where it cried in pain. Fortunately for the beast, the fall hadn't been far but now it had no way of getting back up.

Meanwhile, the other wolfos were crossing the bridge. They did not understand what had happened to their comrade; they only saw their prey lying helplessly on the ground, trying to soothe her crying boy. They loped forward in a line on the narrow bridge. The first in the line bounded forward with a snarl, dripping saliva in its excitement, but as it started to pounce, a vine tightened around its forepaw and whipped it into the air, back across the ravine. The beast howled as it flew until it smashed into a tree with a loud yip. It fell to the ground with a heavy thud where it whimpered weakly, unable to pick itself back up.

The rest of the wolfos turned to each other in puzzlement. But they quickly forgot about the wounded wolfo and turned back to the woman. They moved forward until the ground in front of them exploded, sending a shower of dirt and rocks at them. They scampered backwards in surprise and shook their fur to get rid of the dirt - a rather pointless action since their coats had been filthy to begin with.

But they had barely begun to finish their first shake when something thick, muddy and hard slammed against all three of them, not only knocking them senseless but also sending them bouncing into the ravine. Having done this, the snake-like root burrowed into the ground again, vanishing from sight.

A single wolfo stood on the other side of the bridge. It peered down the ravine at the pack crying up at it. It pulled its lip back into something like a sneer. Then it gave a disgusted snort and turned to the woman.

She was sitting upright and looking directly at the pack leader as though curious to see if it would be as foolish as its pack. Her fingers gently stroked the blond hair of her child, who was also watched the wolfo curiously, no longer crying.

The wolfo stared at her for a long time without blinking. Then it raised its gaze to the trees surrounding her. As though they sensed its gaze, the trees lowered their branches in challenge. The wolfo snorted again. It locked its eyes on the woman for one last time and then turned and slunk away, disappearing into the trees where it had come.

The woman heaved a sigh of relief, which became violent coughing that shook her entire body, startling her little boy into crying again. She was too weak to calm him down. She was only glad they were safe from the wolfos. She leaned back against the ground, breathing heavily and coughing, while her child cried - a lonely sound in the woods.

It was not very long before a curious forest child with green hair, attracted to the cries of the young boy, emerged from the trees, followed shortly by two fairies.

One of the fairies bobbed her head at the woman and child. "That them, do you think?"

"Who else might it be?" retorted the Kokiri girl, though it was good-naturedly. The three of them moved toward the mother though the fairies tended to hang behind the Kokiri as though nervous about approaching. The boy noticed them and he stopped crying, his round cheeks streaked with tears. He hiccupped.

"There, there, it's all right," the Kokiri cooed, crouching as she approached. The mother heard her and she sat up abruptly, shielding her child from this stranger. The Kokiri raised her hands in a conciliatory gesture. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you. The Great Deku Tree told me to find you and bring you to him."

"The Great Deku Tree…" The woman's voice came out so softly there was almost no sound.

"Yeah. Don't worry, you'll like him. He won't bite… not hard, anyways." She gave a small laugh. She stretched out her arm for the woman to take. She hesitated, slowly reaching for the proffered hand.

"Come on. Don't be shy." The Kokiri smiled reassuringly.

After hesitating a moment longer, the woman finally took her hand. The Kokiri nodded and said, "See? It's not so bad. I'll take you to the Great Deku Tree now. Just follow me." She gently started to lead the woman and her boy into the trees.

"That's a cute little boy, you have there," she said conversationally. She glanced back at him. "What's his name?"

The woman looked down at her boy. He looked back up at her, his eyes wide with innocence. She whispered, "Link."

"Link, huh? That's an adorable name. My name's Saria."

"Mariah," said the woman.

"No, Sari… oh, that's your name, isn't it? Well, pleased to meet you, Mariah…"

Mariah suddenly dropped to her knees as she was overcome by a fit of coughing. Saria glanced back at her worriedly. "Hey, Mariah, are you okay?"

One of the fairies bobbed in front of her. "We'd better hurry to the Great Deku Tree. She doesn't look good."

Mariah continued to cough as they all made their way forward. They soon entered a glade populated by giant tree stumps with round holes in it making doors and windows. Because it was dark, the other Kokiri were asleep and so they didn't see the human mother and child passing through their village to get to the Great Deku Tree. Mariah tried to stifle her coughing in consideration of the sleeping Kokiri but with little success. They soon left the village behind them as they traveled the path to the Great Deku Tree's glen… and Mariah's coughing grew worse.

"We're almost there," said Saria's fairy. The other fairy whimpered worriedly.

They eventually entered the enormous grove in the heart of the forest. In the center of the grove was the enormous Great Deku Tree. He watched them approach, his eyes falling on the woman whose body shook with coughs. His expression was grave.

"Here she is," said Saria, helping Mariah forward. "Can you help her?"

The Great Deku Tree didn't answer her. His eyes were fixed on the woman. When her coughing subsided, he spoke, "It has been long since we've had strangers in our wood. Why hast thou come here?"

Mariah took in a shuddering gasp before answering in a weak voice, "To escape… town invaded… protect Link…" She coughed, the force of it bringing her to her knees.

"Link," repeated the Great Deku Tree slowly as though the name was familiar. Then he addressed Mariah, "He is thy child?"

She was unable to speak due to her coughing but she managed a nod.

The Great Deku Tree looked up. "Saria. Take the child. Give him food and clothing. See that he is taken care of."

The woman looked up sharply at the great tree and instinctively drew Link to her. Saria asked, "What about Mariah?"

"We… I shall see what I can do for her," he assured her. He turned to the woman and said, "Fear not. Thy child will be well cared for. Thou art weakened and will need to be healed. Please, Saria, take the child."

She hesitated for a moment and then took the little boy's hand. He started to cry when he felt someone taking him away from his mother, but then he looked up into Saria's warm green eyes and all the fear melted from him.

"Don't worry, Link. I'll take good care of you," Saria promised.

…

"You called me, Great Deku Tree?" Saria asked as she entered the grove.

The Deku Tree sighed. "Yes. I am afraid I bear grave news. The child's mother…"

"Is she all right?"

He sighed again. "I could not save her. By the time she arrived, it was too late. Which means thou hast the responsibility of rearing the child she brought with her."

"You mean Link?"

The Great Deku Tree nodded. "Yes. It is thy duty now to care for him, to feed him, to clothe him, to ensure his protection."

Saria nodded solemnly. "Okay, but what about the other Kokiri? What do I tell them? They were pretty surprised when they found out he was here."

"Mido didn't seem too pleased about it," Saria's fairy added.

"Thou wilt tell them that he is now one of thee and to treat him as such. Where he comes from is of little importance. It was no mistake that he was brought here. Destiny played a hand in this, for he has a role to play in our future - all of Hyrule's future."

Saria shook her head. "What do you mean?"

The Great Deku Tree spoke in a grim voice, "There will come a time when the world will be threatened. That is when a hero will rise and turn back the calamity, returning peace to our world. Before that time comes, he will need to be prepared. That means in addition to caring for him, thou wilt need to train him, teach him how to defend, how to fight."

"But…" Saria struggled for words. "Why? Why him? Are you sure that he'll need to fight? That the world will be destroyed unless he stops it?"

"It is not a certainty," the Great Deku Tree admitted. "But the recent stirrings of war outside the forest does little to dismiss this portent. Thus I urge thee to prepare him for his destiny. He will almost certainly face it in due time and whether or not he triumphs will depend on how well thou prepares him."

"I-I'm sorry." Saria hung her head. "It's just… I can't imagine someone so… so young and innocent having to someday fight some great catastrophe. But if you say I should then I'll do it."

The Great Deku Tree nodded. "Good. My faith is in thee, Saria. But I must warn thee…" He fixed her with a firm stare. "Thou wilt be caring for him for a long time. In that time thou wilt come to love him as a parent loves her child. And as every parent knows, the most difficult part of loving their children is letting them go. I must have thy assurance that when the time comes, thou wilt allow Link to break away from thee so that he can fulfill his destiny. Dost thou promise this, Saria?"

"Yeah, sure. It's not like he has to do this in the next year or two, right?" She smiled hopefully at the Great Deku Tree.

He frowned at her. His words came out fiercely, "I need thee to understand the importance of this! In these coming years he will come to rely on thy strength and wisdom. Thou must make certain that he develops his own strength and wisdom for when destiny calls him. And when it does, thou must allow him to answer it! Dost thou promise to allow him to answer destiny's call?"

The force of the Great Deku Tree's rebuke shook Saria. She realized then how important it was that she made this promise. She already loved the little boy, his adorable smile, the innocence in his eyes, his instinctive trust in her… would it really get any harder to let him go?

She swallowed the lump in her throat. Her voice came out in almost a whisper, "I promise." To herself, she added, "But before then, I promise to protect you with everything I have, Link. I promise nothing will hurt you so long as I have you."

"I promise…"


	2. The Chamber of Sages

**Chapter 2: The Chamber of Sages**

"Link…"

The voice drifted within his consciousness as a leaf on a sea. So small, so fragile, it was almost washed away by the tides of his dreams, yet somehow he had heard it.

"Link… wake up…"

He tried to respond but it was like trying to swim against a current. He could not reach the voice within the gray fog in his mind.

"Please, Link… please, wake up…"

The voice was familiar. He knew that voice. It… it belonged to a friend… it was a desperate voice… she didn't usually sound like this… she must be really worried…

He struggled harder against the constraints on his mind. He needed to reach her. He needed to help her. He needed to let her know that he was there for her.

"I need you to wake up, Link. Please, just wake up."

With a herculean effort, Link forced his eyes open. Immediately, he was overwhelmed by colors that washed together like paints that had spilled and mixed. He tried to focus. A blot of blue light slid in and out of view. He blinked and gradually the haze cleared. Soon he was able to see a fairy hovering over him.

"Are you all right, Link?" It was Navi and her face was creased with worry.

He opened his mouth. A dry croak came out. He forced out a breath, sighing the word, "Wha…"

"Can you stand? Here let me…" She bobbed down, grabbed his finger and then strained to lift him. His arm rose gradually into the air. He wasn't sure if it was Navi's strength or if it was his own strength returning. Soon his back was curling upward until he was sitting. The effort was exhausting though and his breaths came out heavily.

"All right, you seem to be fine. We'll just take this slowly, catch your breath, take small steps… you'll be fine," said his fairy in a voice that was half-reassuring.

"You are convinced now?" said another voice in a solemn tone. "He suffers no lasting harm. Once he starts to use his muscles again he will be as good as he ever was. Perhaps even better."

As Link looked around for the source of the voice, he became confused. He wasn't anywhere that he recognized. He appeared to be sitting on a stone bed which sat in the center of a… a heptagon. There was nothing beyond it. Nothing but swirling gray fog. He and Navi seemed to be sitting in the middle of a platform that floated in a space of nothingness.

Still he cast his gaze about in case he was wrong and there was something out there. But the more he looked, the more he realized that there was indeed nothing beyond the platform where they sat.

"Yes," said the voice again, "dismal, isn't it?" Link spun to the source. He found it was an old man sitting on the platform with his legs crossed and his hands on his knees. The man was bald but he had an impressive mustache that traveled all the way up his face and over his ears, as well as a pair of bushy, white eyebrows across dark, solemn eyes. He wore a robe that looked too large for him, patterned in orange, yellow and white designs. The sleeves swallowed his hands.

Link opened his mouth. A hoarse sound came out but after a few tries he finally managed to croak, "Who are you?"

The old man bowed to him and replied, "I am Rauru, an ancient Sage whose duty it is to protect the Sacred Realm from evildoers. My purview is the Temple of Light, one of the many links to the Sacred Realm - particularly to this spot, which we call the Chamber of Sages. The Temple of Time is another such link and it was through this that Ganondorf accessed this realm, which resulted in the ruin that you see now." He gestured to the gray fog beyond the platform.

Link repeated, his voice barely audible, "Ganondorf…"

The fairy spoke up, "The Temple of Time… but isn't that where the Triforce is located? Where Link pulled out the Master Sword?"

Rauru nodded. "The very same. It is unfortunate that it should have been the avenue through which Ganondorf seized the Triforce after the lengths we Sages went to seal it away. We put in place many seals and barriers, with very particular keys to open them: the Spiritual Stones, which had been entrusted to three of Hyrule's various tribes; the Ocarina of Time and its particular song, which was safeguarded by the Royal Family of Hyrule; and finally, the holy blade that none of unclean spirit can touch set into the lock. With all of these in place, it should have been nigh impossible for Ganondorf to enter the Sacred Realm, yet he has."

The truth of it dawned on Link and he began to tremble in horror. "You mean, then," his voice came out hoarsely and deep, "that my quest for the Spiritual Stones didn't prevent Ganondorf from getting the Triforce. You're saying that I actually helped him to get it! And when I pulled out the Master Sword…" He grabbed his throat. His voice was coming out strangely. But even as he thought this he realized that everything else felt strange too. He felt… out of proportion. The ground seemed higher up and everything seemed smaller.

"What happened to me?" he cried in an unfamiliar voice.

"You'd best take a look," said Rauru, tilting his head slightly. "But do take it slowly. You may… not recognize yourself."

"Don't be alarmed, Link," Navi said in a consoling voice, "but you've…"

Link pulled out the sword from his back, giving a start when he recognized it as the Master Sword that he had pulled from the Pedestal of Time. But when he saw the reflection in the blade, his jaw dropped.

"…grown up," his fairy finished.

In shock, Link inspected every inch of his new body. He was much bigger than he had been before and it was disorienting. The face in the mirror-like surface of the blade was only vaguely familiar to Link. It had changed. It was no longer the face of a ten-year-old.

"How did this happen?" he asked, his strength leaving him. The blade lowered.

"You were rather fortunate," said Rauru, getting to his feet and striding across the platform toward Link. "For the others that have tried to touch the blade, many of them lost their minds." He reached out a hand for the sword but stopped within inches of its hilt.

"The Master Sword is a blade of pure justice that eradicates all wickedness it touches. It is very dangerous to any whose soul is anything less than pure. You were very fortunate." He withdrew his hand and then turned and walked back to the edge.

"Your faults were few and your strengths most profound it would seem," the old man continued, "save for one thing: you had the spirit of a child. You were naïve - ignorant of the follies of men. And so you were put into a deep sleep and given dreams… dreams to prepare you for the task you must perform… to fulfill the destiny that is yours…"

Link slid off the stone bed. He almost fell to the ground as his knees gave out on him. But gradually his strength returned and he was standing.

"How long?" he asked.

Rauru kept his back to him. He tilted his bare head back and then answered bluntly, "Seven years."

Link almost collapsed again as the news hit him. "Seven years," he repeated weakly, grabbing the stone bed for support. "I've been gone for seven years…"

"Yes, and while you've been gone," Raru turned to face him, "Ganondorf used the power of the Triforce to convert Hyrule into his dominion. Many of the people there have become slaves or have been destroyed. Few are left who challenge his authority and if he is not stopped soon then I fear the worst for them, as well as for the fate of Hyrule." He bowed his head solemnly.

"Then we've got to do something!" Link cried, stepping toward the Sage. He amended, "I… I've got to do something. This is my fault, and I need to fix it."

Rauru slowly looked up, a smile on his face. "Very good, Hero. Wise is the one who understands the difference between blame and responsibility. You _will_ fix it, but not alone. You will need the strength of the seven Sages scattered abroad Hyrule thus your first task is to seek them out and rally them together. You have one Sage already…" He swept a hand toward himself and bowed. Then he straightened and turned out again.

"Stand next to me, Hero," he said. "There is something I wish for you to see."

Link glanced up at Navi, who shook her head uncertainly. Hesitating for a moment, he moved to the old man's side.

"This mist," Rauru gestured outward, "it reflects the despair that Ganondorf has sewn. This is the world he created when he seized the Triforce."

Navi shook her head in horror. "How can anyone wish to live in a world like this?"

"He is blind to it," Rauru answered. "He only sees what was denied him and what he perceives to be justice. He is consumed by hate and envy, and he is forcing it upon all the good people, corrupting or simply blotting them out one by one.

"But all hope is not lost. Turn your eyes there and look closely."

Link looked to where Rauru pointed. At first he wasn't sure if he was supposed to be seeing anything other than swirling gray fog. But then he saw something. A glimmer of gold like early morning light through the dark boughs of the forest. But even as he discovered it, the gray fog quickly smothered it and it was gone. But then dots of blue light sparked into existence, darting whimsically within the void like mischievous sprites before they winked out. Then orange light flickered like candlelight before it gradually dimmed.

Over and over lights of all kinds appeared while the fog swirled toward them to smother them. The longer Link watched, the more he realized that the lights were fighting against the fog, burning defiantly while the fog did everything it could to put them out.

Rauru explained, "What you see are the fragments of what was once the Sacred Realm, fighting to be made whole again. This is something that's happened only recently since you've awakened. They sense your return. They sense hope." He turned to Link, his solemn eyes glimmering. "Are you that hope?"

Link dropped his gaze. Was he hope? He wished he could say yes but there was no escaping the fact that he had failed. He had failed to keep Ganondorf from the Triforce. He had failed to prevent Princess Zelda's dark prophecy from coming true. He had failed to fulfill the destiny that everyone - the Great Deku Tree, the princess, the owl, the Great Fairies - had told him he was supposed to. It seemed he was being offered a second chance to set things right, but what would make the difference this time?

 _"Link… is Hyrule's final hope…"_ came the Great Deku Tree's words in his head.

He swallowed a lump in his throat with difficulty. He forced the words out, "I'll do my best."

"That is all anyone can hope for," replied the old Sage, turning to Link. Then he turned toward the inside of the platform and took a few steps, folding his hands behind his back. He came to a stop and then spoke, "Allow me to grant you a token of my strength." He spun toward Link and then thrust his hands into the air, the billowing sleeves piling on top of his shoulders and exposing thick, hairy arms.

In his hands there was a flash of white light like the gleam of a mirror. It grew until it was nearly as large as his hands, a round shape that flickered. Rauru brought his hands down and as he did, the light seemed to solidify until it became something like a large gold coin. On its face was a symbol - five rays that radiated from the center to the edge. Link recognized it as the symbol of the sun, the giver of light.

"The other Sages will have medallions similar to this one. Once you collect them all, use them to summon us and together we will bring the King of Evil low."

Navi nodded. "We will do as you say, right Link?"

He nodded. Quietly, he added, "And I won't fail this time."

Rauru thrust a finger at him. "Go then! Find the other Sages." Blue light shimmered into existence around the platform and began closing in toward Link. He looked around in alarm until he heard Rauru's voice continue resolutely, "We are all counting on you. The fate of Hyrule rests in your hands."

Those were the last words Link heard as the blue light enveloped him.


	3. Sheik

**Chapter 3: Sheik**

Gradually, the rippling blue light dissipated. Link and Navi discovered that they were back in the Temple of Time. Nothing appeared to have changed since they had gone. Not a single sign indicated that time had passed at all. No dirt had gathered, no cobwebs had been spun, not a single crack had appeared in the masonry. It was hard to believe that seven years had passed despite what Rauru had told them and the evidence of Link's matured body.

"Seven years…" Navi whispered. "It's so hard to believe. Yet if what Rauru said is true and Ganondorf has seized dominion over the world, I fear what awaits us outside."

Link's thoughts traveled out the doors of the temple. In his mind he saw an orange sky and dark smoke rolling across it. He heard the roar of flames, the screams of people, the growls of beasts… the town under attack just as he had left it…

"Whatever it is," said Link grimly, "we have to face it. We… I failed and I need to make up for it… no matter what it takes…" With a grim expression, he strode down the steps of the pedestal and headed toward the antechamber.

From the shadows behind him, a figure took a careful step forward. The sound was slight but it was enough to cause Link to pause. Navi spun around, gasped, and ducked behind his shoulder. "Behind you, Link," she whispered.

Link gave a slight nod. He flexed his fingers. Then with a sudden yell he whipped his sword out and spun to face the stranger.

The stranger did not react except to lift his hand, indicating for Link to lower his sword. He was garbed from head to toe in white, with a red symbol on his chest - a single eye with a tear and a wide grin. Link had seen the symbol before on the Gossip Stones and also the Mask of Truth that the Happy Mask Salesman had given him.

"Who are you?" Link demanded. He hadn't lowered his sword but was keeping it level with the stranger's chest.

The stranger lowered his hand. His entire face was hidden behind a white cloth except for the eyes, which Link noticed with a start were red - the same color as Impa's, which must mean this stranger was a Sheikah.

The Sheikah spoke, "At last, you have returned. Impa told me I would find you here." His voice was muffled behind the cloth and sounded strangely soft.

"Then she is alive?" Navi asked hopefully. "And Princess Zelda?"

"They are both alive," confirmed the Sheikah though he had given a strange pause first. This worried Link, so he asked, "Where are they? Ganondorf, did he…?"

"He is completely unaware of their location," answered the Sheikah. "For the moment, they are safe. Impa waits for you now at Kakariko Village."

"Then we should go." Link turned to Navi. "Maybe she knows where we can find the Sages."

"Then it's true," said the Sheikah, taking a step forward. "You are the one who will restore peace to Hyrule. The youth whose destiny it is to vanquish evil with the Blade of Evil's Bane in his hand. The Hero…" His eyes grew bright, hope burning within them.

"How long we have waited for you to return," he continued. "Seven long years the world waited…"

A lump developed in Link's throat. He ducked his head. "I didn't mean to disappear. I thought I could use the Triforce to defeat Ganondorf. I thought I could use the Master Sword against him, and then…"

"You are not at fault," said Sheik with conviction. "If anyone is to blame, it is Princess Zelda. She should have known better. She was a fool to think she could control the Golden Power, and worse still she involved you in her scheme." His voice had become hard, almost bitter.

Navi bristled. "You shouldn't talk like that about the princess. She was only doing what she thought was best."

Sheik turned his back to them and took a few steps forward. "If you knew the mistakes she's made, the lives she ruined with her plans, you wouldn't feel so generous toward her. She deserves nothing less than the harshest condemnation."

"And who are you to judge her so harshly?" Navi demanded.

The Sheikah stiffened. For a moment, he didn't reply or even move. Then he slowly turned and gave the two of them a low bow. His voice came out oddly stiff, "I am known as Sheik, one of the remaining survivors of the Sheikah tribe, and it is my duty to aid the Hero in restoring the land of Hyrule to its former glory."

"And how will you do that?" Navi asked.

Sheik swept his hand through the air. "Scattered across the land are temples that act as gates to the Sacred Realm where the Sages draw their power. Unfortunately, many of the Sages disappeared long ago. However, their bloodline lives on, and just recently the temples have become active. They will call to the descendants of the Sages."

"So I just look for these temples?" Link asked.

Sheik nodded. "You must, for though the descendants will hear the call they cannot awaken as true Sages without your help. Just entering the temple will not be enough to awaken them."

Link shook his head. "Then how do I awaken them?"

Sheik dropped his chin a fraction. "I will teach you. It is up to you to find the Sages and guide them to the temples. Once there, I will teach you what you need to know." He lifted his head and continued, "To begin your search, I recommend returning to your home village in the forest. I am certain a descendant is there - it may even be someone that you know." He nodded to the doorway behind Link. "Your equipment is at the base of the altar where you left them though I'm afraid time has been harsh on many of them."

"Oh, okay," Link glanced back and then turned to Sheik again, "Than…" He stopped in surprise, for the Sheikah had vanished.

After a pause, Navi remarked slowly, "Something doesn't seem right with that Sheik character. I'm not certain we can trust him."

"Why not?" Link asked. He turned to the doorway and walked forward.

"Well, for starters, why does he hide his face? And did you hear the contempt he had for Princess Zelda? Even when he speaks, there's something in his voice like he's hiding something…"

They descended the steps that curved around toward the altar where the three Spiritual Stones - the Kokiri Emerald, the Goron's Ruby, and the Zora Sapphire - lay gleaming in their hollows. Link frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe we should ask Impa about him. Didn't he say we'd find her there? If he's a Sheikah then she should know about him, right?"

"That's assuming Sheik was telling the truth, but that does sound like a good idea. Kakariko Village should be a good place to find out what's going on," Navi agreed. Then she pointed, "Oh, Link, your adventure pouch!"

It was right where Sheik said it would be - right where Link had left it seven years ago. He stooped to pick it up and that's when he discovered something else sitting next to it. A smaller pouch filled with rupees. Attached to the drawstring was a card. The writing on it was a little faded with age, but Link could still read it. It said,

Your payment of 50 rupees

for the Snorkeling Mask has

been received. It has been

a pleasure doing business

with you.

Yours in friendship,

the Happy Mask Salesman

Link wasn't smiling when he finished. Navi didn't have to ask why. She had read the card over his shoulder and she also felt a certain disquiet toward its author. Regardless, she said, "It was certainly gracious of him to return your wallet… however unexpected it was."

Link didn't respond but tore off the card and tossed it. For a moment he handled the wallet indecisively as though wondering if it was safe to keep, but eventually he tied it to his belt. Then he turned to his attention to his adventure pouch and sifted through it. He found Sheik had been right about some of it wasting away over time. The Deku nuts, sticks, and pellets had become gritty powder and his slingshot had become useless since the leather of the sling had grown stiff and cracked. The only things that had survived the seven years were the three glass bottles, the bombs, and the Ocarina of Time.

With his adventure pouch back on his hip, along with the bomb bag and wallet, he made his way to the opening of the Temple of Time. At the threshold he stopped.

His fairy sensed his hesitation. She remained silent for a moment and then said, "Whatever is waiting for us out there… we'll face it together… and we _will_ fix it."

Link nodded slowly. He closed his eyes, recalling the sounds he had heard in Hyrule Castle Town the last time he had been there - the howls, the screams, the crackling of fire… He let out a wavering sigh.

"All right," he said at last. "Let's go."


	4. The Poe Collector

**Chapter 4: The Poe Collector**

They thought they were prepared, but when they stepped outside the Temple of Time, they discovered there was no preparation for the grim reality that awaited them. They were immediately assaulted by a vicious wind that howled angrily in their ears; Navi clung to Link's cap to keep from being blown away while he held it firmly on his head. Carried on the wind were traces of carrion and ash. In the sky above, black clouds streaked with blood red light twisted until they were ripped apart by the wind. Down the path they could see the black skeletons of what were once homes.

Navi blinked back tears brought on both by the raging gale and her own inner rage. "How awful… what he has done… all those people… How could a man be so evil?"

Link held an arm in front of his face against the rushing air. He yelled up to his fairy, "Hang on, Navi. I'll try to keep us out of this wind as much as possible." He staggered down the steps toward what was left of Hyrule Castle Town. The gales eased as he descended into the town, the blackened buildings offering him what little relief from the wind they could offer. As he passed them, he took in their dilapidated state, his chest growing tighter with each one until it seemed it would snap from the tension.

He stepped out into the town center. Navi gasped and cried in shock, "Oh my goodness! Link, look!"

What he saw chilled him to his bone. Scattered around the center were what appeared to be corpses with leathery skin stretched tightly over thin bones underneath. The skin had turned dark with age. They seemed to have been there for a long time.

"That monster…" Navi choked.

Link started to turn away from the awful sight in remorse until he realized there was something strange about it. He glanced around the square again and felt another chill race down his spine - not with a shock of remorse this time but with a prickling feeling of horror. All of the corpses were in the same position: they were tipped on their side but they all had their bony arms wrapped around their knees and their bald, wrinkled heads tucked in.

His fairy was muttering angrily under her breath, "…to leave them like this… like nothing more than trash… has no soul… must be avenged…"

"Navi," Link said.

"We shall avenge them!" She repeated with more force. Then she prodded him forcefully in the head. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"

"Navi, something's wrong."

"Of course it's wrong! What person would commit such an atroci…"

Then she screamed. She threw out her finger to Link's left, prompting him to whip out his sword as he spun toward the threat, only to leap backwards with a terrified yell.

One of the corpses had climbed to its feet and was reaching its long, bony arms toward him. It face was visible now although "face" was hardly an accurate term for it. It was nothing more than a wooden mask with empty eyes and a mouth that gaped hungrily. A sticky, gargling noise came from deep within its throat as though it was slowly drowning.

Link raised his sword and started forward to face the gruesome creature but his fairy shrieked at him, "No! No, Link! Just run! Don't bother fighting it! Ohhh, I should have recognized them from the start…"

"What are they?" Link asked as he obediently sheathed his sword and circled around it, heading toward the gatehouse.

Navi explained quickly and breathlessly, "They're called redeads. They're horrible things that suck the life out of you if they catch you."

"But they don't seem very fast," Link said. He glanced backwards to witness the other redeads climbing to their feet and shuffling in his direction.

"They're not, but it's not their speed you should worry about. It's their - look out!"

Link spun around and found himself face to face with a redead, its horribly stretched mouth aiming for his neck and its arms reaching around him. He ripped himself from its grasp, causing it to stumble forward. He slashed at it across the top of its bald head.

Navi cried, "Don't Link! You'll make it…"

But it was too late. The redead let out a high-pitched shriek that caused Link's muscles to suddenly tense painfully. He opened his mouth to let out a yell of pain but no sound escaped. He couldn't close his mouth either, he discovered, and he couldn't move his hands to cover his ears to block out the horrendous sound. He couldn't move his legs to escape either. The shriek of the redead had paralyzed him.

"LINK!" his fairy shrieked in his ear in an attempt to overpower the redead's shrill cry. "LINK! YOU HAVE TO MOVE! THE REDEADS ARE COMING FOR YOU!"

It worked. Link's muscles sprang into action and he rolled forward just as the redead swiped its bony arms at him. He was on his feet immediately and he ran as fast as he could for the gatehouse and the bridge. But when he arrived there, he discovered two redeads shuffling across it. The bridge had split in the middle and collapsed into the moat and as the redeads shuffled across, the water assaulted their bony legs, carrying away dark sludge. He spun around, looking for a way to escape but the square was becoming dense with redeads, all shuffling his way. He was trapped.

"In here!" Navi darted toward a door that Link recognized led into what had been Aben's home. Someone had carved strange runes in the wood and splashed something across it, which looked suspiciously like blood. But there wasn't any other choice. He grabbed the door, ripped it open and then swung inside and slammed it shut. He pressed his body against it as a barricade.

"Do you think the door will hold against them?" Navi asked him.

It was a grim question for her to ask since there was nowhere else to run. He was about to answer her, "I hope so," but then a raspy voice behind him answered with a cackle, "That door would _never_ hold against them!"

The two of them jumped with cries of fright and spun around to see who had spoken. The fairy gasped aloud and ducked behind her Kokiri's cap.

"It's been weakened by fire and age. Those beasties would break through the wood in seconds!" continued the voice. It came from a dwarfish man in a purple cloak that hid his entire body except for pale, long and bony limbs, and a single red eye that peeped out of his hood. In his left hand, he held a gnarled cane.

"Then what should we do?" Link asked him.

"Nothing!" the man squealed delightedly and cackled.

"But there must be something we can do!" Navi cried. "We can't just sit here and let them eat us!"

"They won't," answered the man.

"But you said…"

"They could break through the door in seconds… but they won't. Not with all the protective spells I've put around here." He waved his staff.

"But…" Navi began and then finished with an embarrassed, "Oh."

The hooded man giggled. "Lucky for you I was here. This place is infested with monsters and lingering spirits - the perfect place to set up shop." He gestured with his cane again. Then he turned and walked toward a small table, which was covered with pages of doodles and scribbles that seemed to be research notes. On the edge of the desk sat a peculiar lamp, which gave off an eerie purple glow. Gas swirled inside the glass. As Link watched, a face formed from the gas and leered at him. He gasped and the face vanished.

The hooded man spoke, "Things have changed while you were gone… Link." He turned and fixed the boy with his one eye.

Chills raced down his spine. He croaked, "How did you… who are you?"

The hooded man chuckled. "Hmm… should I tell you or not? I could not tell you and leave you agonizing, wondering if I'm someone you had known or should have known… if I was someone you could have helped but didn't… if you could have done something to prevent this tragedy from happening… oh, I'm getting goosebumps!" He rubbed his skeletal arms and shivered in delight.

Which only served to unnerve Link. Was the man really someone he had known before? There did seem to be something familiar about his voice. Though there was a layer of hoarseness, Link realized the man's voice actually sounded very young! Younger than him, even! Could it be…

Then the hooded man turned to Link. "All right, let's just say I remember you. And I can read minds." He tapped his temple and then giggled. "For example, you remember this as a friend's home… someone named… Aben. And it disturbs you to see it like this."

The odd little imp was right. When Link had been in here last, it had been a homey, little nook, bare though it was. Now it was cluttered with odd and unsettling things: the wings of keese and a tiny gold skull on the wall, orbs of glowing gas where faces sometimes appeared that hung from the ceiling, a shriveled hand that seemed to be twitching, a jar of liquid where an abnormally large eyeball floated, and long strips of cloth colored with age, dirt, and what looked suspiciously like blood. A very plain wooden cot was pushed against the wall and against the adjacent wall was the table piled with its pages.

"He wasn't using it, so I thought I'd take it," said the little man gleefully. "If you only could have saved him." He shook his head and heaved a sigh of mock remorse.

Navi flashed angrily. "That is enough! I will not sit here while you make a mockery of a good friend's death! Nor will I tolerate you belittling my Kokiri!"

"But I can't help it!" the hooded man whined in a child's pouty voice. "You don't know what I've been through. What the world did to me to make me like this! When I found that book in the Kakariko Graveyard, my entire life changed. Maybe if I had your destiny, Link, I would have been a hero, too. Oh well, now I get to deal in misery and hatred, the dark and sinister, things that make your skin crawl and wakes you up every night in cold sweat…" He shuddered in delight. Then he spun around to Link. "You know about Poes, right?"

"You mean those things that pop out of the ground and carry lanterns?"

The man slammed his staff against the ground. "Pure hatred. Souls of those who once lived but then died with lingering regrets. Dangerous things to run into. If they see you, they'll swing their heavy lanterns at you out of spite." He tapped one of the globes and the face that had been peeping through the gas vanished like a startled fish.

"I've been collecting them lately - to perform experiments on them." He shifted papers around on his desk until he pulled out a large, green book. "But I'd really like to get my hands on the Four Poe Sisters. Those are unlike your more common Poes." He flipped the pages of the book and then stopped. He tapped the center of the page. "It says they were once practitioners of shadow magic and that they had an obsession with immortality. Figured Poes might be the key to the whole thing. Wound up turning themselves into Poes. Guess that's what you call irony." He turned to Link and gestured to him to come closer.

Link hesitated and then came closer, peering over the hooded man's shoulder at the pages of the book. He saw detailed sketches and notes of what appeared to be four robed figures.

Without warning, the hooded man grabbed his hand, brought it up, and bit it with sharp teeth. Link jerked it away with a cry of pain and surprise. He saw two holes on his palm where blood welled up, growing like red balloons.

"Oh, don't fuss," said the man derisively, "I'm just borrowing a bit of blood." He snatched Link's hand again and brought it over the book's pages. He gave the boy's hand a shake to splatter his blood onto them. Link snatched his hand away again and stepped away but the man seemed to be finished with him for his attention was on the book now. Drawn by morbid curiosity, Link stepped closer again to see what the man was looking at.

The blood seemed to soak into the book, spreading unnaturally quickly across the pages and turning them red. It concentrated on the ink that outlined the sketches of the Poes, and then the rest of the blood flowed into the sketches, leaving the pages as spotless as they had been before. The ink of the Poe sketches was no longer black but a glimmering red.

And then the sketches moved. Both Link and Navi gave a cry of alarm when the first sketch rose out of the book, reaching out with blood red arms. Then the second sketch rose from the pages and then the third and the fourth until they had all emerged and were now hovering above the book.

The hooded man stretched out his fingers toward them. He spoke in a whisper, "Ah, yes, there they are. Joelle, Beth, Amy, and Meg. The secrets they hold… if I could capture them…" He turned to Link. "What do you say? If you happen to come across them in your travels…"

"Then we'd likely destroy them," Navi answered. "I don't believe anything good could come from you getting your hands on them." Link nodded in agreement.

The man huffed. "I thought you might say that. And I sense you won't be tempted by Rupees, either. But there must be something I can offer you…"

"There is nothing you have to offer that is worth capturing those Poe Sisters for you," Navi bit.

"Oh really?" said the hooded man, sounding delighted as though he had just spotted a treasure. "Not even where you can find the man who took your precious ocarina that your friend made for you?"

Link reacted in surprise. "So he _did_ steal my ocarina! You know where the bean seller is?"

"Oh, I could find him easily, but in exchange I want those four Poe Sisters. Deal?"

Link glanced at his fairy, who shook her head. "I don't trust him. Who knows what he has planned?"

The boy shrugged. "What could he do with them?"

Navi shook her head. "You don't understand. Joelle, Beth, Amy and Meg were once powerful shadow mages and very dangerous. As Poes they're no less dangerous; the only thing that has changed is that they now feed off of fear and misery, corrupting all they touch. They had been sealed away by the Sheikah to protect the people. Let's pray they are still sealed away."

The hooded man spat out, "You aren't really going to listen to her, are you, Link? That ocarina is precious to you, remember? It was a gift from your very dear friend, Saria. How would she feel if she knew you lost it?"

"She would understand, Link," said Navi insistently. "The risk is too great. You must trust me."

Link glanced over at the blood manifestations of the Four Sisters still hovering above the pages of the book. They did look menacing in their ragged cloaks and scant arms, their bony fingers like claws. And if they really were powerful mages…

He sighed, bowing his head in surrender. "You're probably right, Navi."

The man slammed his staff against the stone floor angrily. "You fool! You're actually going to listen to that whiny, little glowbug?"

Link clenched his fists in reaction to the man's words. He said tersely, "Yes. That's what the Great Deku Tree told me to do, so that's what I'm going to do. You like to hurt people, so why should I trust you?"

The man stomped his foot in a fit of temper and yelled. "Get out then! I don't need you! I can get them myself. Get out! GET OUT!" He waved his staff in the air and there was a sudden rush of wind that sucked out all the light in the room, followed by a cacophony of chilling laughter that seemed to come from everywhere at once. Red eyes appeared in the dark. Then they all rushed at him, the high-pitched laughter building to a crescendo. Link spun around, leaped toward the door, and then fell sprawling on the cobblestone of the gatehouse. The door slammed shut, instantly cutting off the Poes' mad cackling.

Navi tugged on his sleeve. "Come on, Link. Let's not tarry here. I don't want to be taken by surprise by another redead… or anything else that might be lurking."

Obediently he jumped to his feet. He turned to the fractured bridge where water burbled over it. He leaped over it, teetered on the slanted wood, and then hopped onto the other side. He glanced back at the stones of the castle walls, weathered and gray since Link had last seen them seven years ago, and then turned toward the mountains where hopefully Kakariko Village still stood.

"You think we will find Impa at Kakariko Village?" Navi asked a little uncertainly. "Like Sheik said?"

Her Kokiri shrugged. "Can't hurt to find out."

"Of course," she said. She decided not to add that there was the possibility that the village was in ruins like Hyrule Castle Town, or that it was a trap. But there were few places to start so she took in a deep breath and said, "Very well then. Let's see Impa."


	5. The New Village of Kakariko

**Chapter 5: The New Village of Kakariko**

Gloom and fear hung heavy in the air. They had escaped the ruins of Hyrule Castle Town, but more and more Link saw evidence of how terrible things had gotten since he and Navi had vanished. Scattered around the field he traveled he saw large patches of blood-soaked earth. The grass that used to cover the hills had turned brown and withered away. Trees too had become bare and white as bone. The only plants that seemed to be thriving were strange trees that Link had never seen before - squat bodies with rust-colored scales and three fronds protruding from the top. Navi warned him, "Not too close, Link. Those are peahats - plants that thrive on where there's been bloodshed though they are also capable of chasing down their prey and shredding them to bits for nourishment." She did not say this as lightly as she had seven years ago when they had first crossed the field. Seeing them this close only made the threat more sobering. Link and his companion made certain to steer clear of each one as they made their way to the base of the mountain. Some twitched their leaves as he passed, causing him to reach for his sword, just in case.

They made it without incident. The path winding up toward the village seemed to have become rough with years of going unused rather than the forces of destruction that was evident everywhere else. It seemed to have been forgotten by both friend and foe alike. So with the threat behind them, Link relaxed his guard and his mind began to wander. What would he find in Kakariko? Was it still standing? The state of the road leading to it was encouraging but there was still a tiny seed of doubt in his mind; after all, they wouldn't need to destroy the road to destroy the village. But if Sheik was telling the truth then Impa was waiting there, which must mean that it was safe… but that was if Sheik was telling the truth…

He took in a deep breath and let it out. It wouldn't do him any good to wonder. All he could do was wait until he saw it for himself.

His fairy spoke, "Are you all right, Link?"

He looked up at her in surprise and then nodded reassuringly. "Yeah… I'm okay… I was just… thinking."

She had a pretty good suspicion what he was thinking. She turned up the mountain path and said quietly, "You're not the only one."

They were soon approaching the top of the road. The closer they got to it, the more apprehensive they became, both their chests tightening. But when they got there, they stopped and stared in amazement.

Seven years ago, the village had been a hill scattered with small homes and several half-finished building projects. Now it was nothing less than a full community! Wherever they turned, there was either a home or some sort of shop, and there were many, many people going about their business here: talking, exchanging goods, or simply milling around. It was almost overwhelming to see so many people.

"Wow." Link gaped. "They did it. It's just like what Hyrule Castle Town used to be. Just as Talon predicted!" Then he looked up with a gasp. "Talon! And Malon! I hope they're all right!"

"Calm down, Link," Navi reassured him. "They might be here. It looks as though this village is now an oasis in a world of evil. I'm sure Talon and Malon are here somewhere."

But the first familiar face they saw wasn't the ranch girl or her dad, it was the cuccoo lady. She was still at her pen after seven years. She sat on it and stroked a chick's head with her finger, cooing to it. As Link approached her, she looked up and brightened.

"What do you think?" She held up the chick. "He's my new special breed of cuccoos - a cuccoo that fits right in your pocket! Not only that but he's non-allergenic, too! No more rashes for me!" She looked extremely pleased. The cuccoo chirped happily from her palm, reflecting her mood. "And he's just as good at waking you up when you need it as his bigger cousins. Probably even better!"

Link remembered the last time he had a cuccoo wake him up, he had almost gone deaf. He couldn't imagine anything being louder than Nibbles. Without really thinking, he reached up to tug his ear. The movement drew the woman's attention, and when she saw his face, she reacted in surprise. She asked, "I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

"A long time ago," Link answered.

"Oh," she said quietly. "I thought you looked familiar… like someone who's handled cuccoos before…"

"I helped you catch your cuccoos a long time ago. You gave me a bottle for it."

"I did?" she said. When Link nodded, she said, "I'm sorry for not remembering you… but perhaps you'd like to take this cuccoo in apology?" She held it out for him. The cuccoo chirped and cocked its head curiously.

"Perhaps not," said Navi. "We'll be traveling much and it's dangerous. We don't want him to get hurt."

"Oh," said the woman sadly. Then she brightened, "Then I'll just keep it for you when you travel. What do you think?"

Link shrugged. "That could work."

"Great!" cried the cuccoo lady. "Why not take the time to get to know him right now while you're here? Here." Before Link could protest, she passed the tiny cuccoo to him. It leaped from her hand, giving the fairy a start, and perched on his shoulder. It strutted up to his ear and nipped it playfully.

"Just look at how he's playing with you!" said the woman with a laugh.

"I can't stay long," said Link as he tried to look at the cuccoo hopping on his shoulder.

"Well, when you're ready to go, you can just bring him back here," she said.

Navi nodded, eyeing the little cuccoo with an affectionate smile. "We do need to find Impa here; we can keep him for a while."

Link bowed to the pressure and agreed to keep the cuccoo for the time being. Before they left, they asked the lady if she knew where they could find Impa. At first, she didn't know who they were talking about until they described her.

"Oh, the woman with red eyes and white hair? Yes, I see her go to that house a lot." She pointed to a house that struck Link with surprise.

His fairy noticed his expression and she said, "You recognize it, don't you?"

He did. It was the home he had stayed in when he had first come here. A kind woman named Mena had fed him and given him a bed there. He wondered if she was still there, and something began to gnaw at his stomach. He approached it and then hesitated at the door. Navi gave him encouragement, prodding him to knock. It opened after a few moments and a woman appeared in the doorway.

"Well, hello, young man." She smiled. "What can I do for you?"

Link looked down at her, marveling at how tall he had gotten. He also marveled at how little this woman had changed in seven years - the same woman who had sheltered and fed him back then. She did look a little older with lines in her face and a few gray hairs on her head, but she still had the same kind smile and the same rosy cheeks. Mena.

She noticed the look on his face and she frowned in concern. "Is something wrong, dear?"

Navi spoke up. "Hello, Mena. Do you remember us?"

It seemed that she did for the moment the fairy spoke a gasp escaped her throat, causing her to clap her hands to her mouth. Then she pointed to Navi and said in a shaky voice, "Oh my goodness… you're the fairy that the boy, Link, had when he stayed with me all those years ago… which means…" she turned to Link, "you're that boy… the one who was supposed to save Hyrule…" Her next word came out in barely a whisper, "Link?"

He nodded slowly and then bowed his head in shame. "I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise. I…"

He was cut short when Mena suddenly pulled him into her and hugged him tightly. Her words came out muffled as she sobbed into his tunic, "You've been gone for years! I thought something terrible happened to you! Where have you been?"

"Sleeping," he answered.

At this, Mena laughed, wiping her eyes and sniffing. She stepped aside and waved him in, saying, "Well, come in, come in! I'm sure you have quite a tale to tell."

Soon, Link and Navi were seated comfortably at Mena's table. She served up a stew of meat and vegetables. The smell was invigorating, causing Link's stomach to rumble loudly, which reminded him that it had been seven years since he had eaten. He had second and third helpings, which made the woman laugh. "I see your appetite hasn't changed since you were smaller."

"A comforting constant amidst the changes we've seen since we've vanished seven years ago," Navi remarked.

"Seven years, is that how long it's been?" gasped Mena. I'm afraid I haven't been keeping track of the years. Ever since all the troubles in the world started, I've just been trying to survive from day to day. There was a lingering hope that you would return…" She fixed Link with her once merry eyes that had now become solemn, "…but that hope dwindled with each day you didn't appear. I feared the worst."

Link lowered his head. "I'm sorry."

Navi took pity on him and turned to Mena. "It wasn't his fault. He did all that he could. He was just caught up in events that were out of his control…"

The woman smiled and shook her head. "You don't need to explain. I never did think you were to blame. I knew what you were doing. I knew the risks you were taking. I knew that you would do whatever it took… no matter the price… to keep our world safe."

Link shook his head. "But I don't think I really was doing everything I could to make our world safe! I just wanted to get my quest over with so that I could go back home. If I had just…" He broke off, unable to continue. He lowered his head so that neither his fairy nor the kind woman could see his tears.

"I just wonder," he finally continued in a choked voice, "why _I_ was chosen… what made _me_ so special? I wasn't any better than anyone else! Everything that I'd done… all my selfish acts…"

Mena spoke, "All people have done things that they're not proud of… everyone makes mistakes. What's important is that you learn from them. You pick yourself up and you try again. Now I don't know what you mean by _chosen_ , but I do know that whoever did so was very wise."

Link nodded but didn't look convinced. Rather than pursue the matter, Mena changed the subject by nodding down at the tiny cuccoo pecking at his soup. "That's a darling little bird. Haven't been seeing much of those around the village anymore."

"Why? What happened to them?" Navi asked.

The woman shrugged. "Got scared off, I suppose. It's nice to see one after so long, especially a young one like that. I'll look forward to when it's all grown."

"Actually," Link said, scooping the little bird into his hand. "I think this is as big as they get. The lady told me she bred these and calls them 'pocket cuccoos.'"

"Goodness!" the woman exclaimed. "She's bred them to be this small? How ever will they survive if they never get any bigger than your hand?"

"I don't believe size truly matters," replied the fairy, drawing herself up to her fullest height. "It is your courage, your determination, your will to succeed that sees you through."

Link glanced at her and smiled. He would never make the mistake of accusing her of being too small to be helpful. And if anyone knew how to take care of herself, it was Navi. Herself and her Kokiri.

Mena realized her mistake. She nodded and replied, "Well, when you put it that way then I suppose it makes sense… and he looks happy anyways."

"You ought to see him after he's woken someone up," said Link with a wry smile. "Gets pretty smug about it."

"Does he?" said Mena with a laugh. "He may have that opportunity yet. There's somebody I'd like you to meet. You and that adorable thing." She winked. Then she stood and walked toward the bedroom. Link stood up with the pocket cuccoo in his hand and followed her. They paused in front of the bedroom door then Mena pushed it open.

They were greeted by a snore. Link reeled backwards in shock for he recognized that sound.

"It's Talon!" Navi exclaimed.

Mena glanced at them in surprise. "You know him?"

Link nodded. "We woke him up twice before. He owns Lon Lon Ranch… at least, he did seven years ago. He's got a daughter, too, named Malon. Is she here?" He watched her hopefully.

But Mena shook her head reproachfully. "I'm sorry, but I've never heard of her. I just found him wandering the village, mumbling like a madman. I took pity on him and brought him into my home. But he's been spending most days just sleeping." She sighed. "The poor man. He tosses and turns at night, mumbling like he's having nightmares. I try to wake him but even when he opens his eyes, he doesn't seem like he's really there."

"I wonder if he knows where Malon is?" said Link.

"She's his daughter," Navi pointed out, "so he must know."

That was all the answer Link needed. He strode toward the sleeping man, carefully holding the little cuccoo in his cupped hands. Navi drifted behind him. When they reached the bed, Link carefully tipped the little bird onto Talon's head. The old man mumbled and shook his head slightly but the cuccoo managed to hold on. When he had finished, the cuccoo climbed toward his ear.

Mena watched them from the doorway. She remarked, "He really is a heavy sleeper. Are you sure such a little thing can really wake your old friend there?"

"It can," Link answered confidently with a grin.

"As a matter of fact," Navi added, "you may want to cover your ears before it crows." She placed both palms against her ears and hunched over in demonstration. Link followed suit and then Mena, though she did so hesitantly.

The pocket cuccoo climbed onto Talon's somewhat hairy ear. It ruffled its feathers in preparation. Then it puffed itself up into a ball and burst out in a voice that the three of them heard clearly despite their hands pressed against their ears, "CUCKOOOOOOOO!"

"Blast it all!" the old man roared, rolling wildly out of bed and landing with a heavy thump. Mena gave a cry of concern for the cuccoo but it managed to leap into the air and flap its way to safety near her. Talon, meanwhile, struggled to his feet, cursing loudly, "Is it too much to ask for a little peace and quiet around here? After everything I've been through - kicked out of my own home, sent to wander on my own, fend for myself - can't I expect some decency…?" He rubbed the back of his head and then shook it. He turned and instantly his mouth dropped open.

"Mr. Talon…" Link said slowly, who remembered how groggy the old man got when he was woken. "Sir, do you remember us?"

"Can it be?" Talon spoke in barely a whisper. He rubbed his eyes. "Am I dreaming again?"

"No, sir," Navi assured him. "We are very much real, alive, and well."

But Talon didn't seem ready to take the fairy's word for it. He took a slow step forward and then suddenly seized Link's face in both of his rough hands. After a moment, his face broke into a big grin.

"By golly, it _is_ you! The forest kid! The one who went and disappeared all those years ago!" He laughed and then pulled him into a bear hug that squeezed the breath from the young man's lungs. "Boy, are _you_ a sight for sore eyes! And Malon will be so pleased! She was so sorry when you left - and downright brokenhearted when you didn't return!"

"So she's here then?" Link wheezed.

As quickly as the smile had appeared, it vanished. He let Link go and looked down at the corner of the bed. When he spoke, his voice had lost all of its heartiness. "When Ingo took over my ranch, he kicked me clean out to fend for myself. But Malon wanted to stay, so he let her. She did it to protect the horses, but I'm concerned for her. Who knows what Ingo's doing to her? I haven't seen her since then."

"Ingo?" Link frowned. "You mean that one grumpy man who complained all the time and wouldn't eat at the same table with you?"

Talon nodded. "That's the one… 'course, he's happy as anything now that he owns the ranch. I don't mind terribly that he's in charge, but I sure am worried about my little girl."

"Don't worry, sir," Link assured him. "I'll go over there and rescue her."

Talon gave him a grateful smile. But Navi cast him an uneasy glance and said, "But aren't we supposed to talk to Impa first? A man named Shiek claiming to be a Shiekah said we'd find her here."

Mena gasped and said, "Oh, that's right! Impa wanted to meet you. She's out right now investigating something but she should be back…"

She was interrupted by the sound of the front door creaking open. Link and Navi hurried to the living room and cried out excitedly when they saw the stern-looking Shiekah close the door behind her. She looked up and when she spotted the two of them watching her, she smiled.

"Just as Princess Zelda said it would happen. Welcome back. We have much to talk about."


	6. The Hookshot

**Chapter 6: The Hookshot**

"You have met Sheik then?" said Impa as she sipped her tea. She and Link sat at Mena's dinner table across from each other. Mena was washing dishes while Talon sat in the rocking chair, stroking the pocket cuccoo's head.

"Yeah." Link leaned forward. He had a cup of tea too but he wasn't drinking from it. "He told me I need to awaken Sages and that he would teach me how. He said I should go back to Kokiri Village."

"He also seemed to hold a grudge for the princess," Navi added. "Can you shed some light on this matter? Can we trust him?"

Impa carefully set her cup on the table and then formed a steeple with her fingers and bowed her head in thought. At length, she looked up and spoke, "I'm afraid I cannot tell you much, but I will say this: Sheik views himself as a successor to the Princess, and he intends to make amends for her mistakes. His enmity for her is brought on by the weight of what he perceives to be his responsibilities. And so, I must ask something of you, Link."

The boy straightened. "What is it?"

Impa sat back in her chair and crossed her arms. Her eyes flickered to Link's fairy and then back to him. "I need you to trust Sheik."

"Trust him?" Link repeated, uncertain of what exactly she was asking of him.

"Trust him," Impa repeated firmly. "Trust him with your all. Trust him unwaveringly, without question, and without doubt. Support him in everything he asks. But more importantly, Link, you must share your trust in the Princess. Sheik may say unkind things about her, and that is when you must show him your loyalty to her. Let him see your devotion to her. Whatever he may say about her, whatever judgments he makes about her, whatever misgivings he has for her wisdom, you must be resolute in your trust in her. Do you understand?"

Link was surprised by this demand - by how passionate Impa was about this. Did she think he _didn't_ trust the Princess?

He nodded to show he understood. Impa turned to Navi, who said after a pause, "If you say that we can trust him then I suppose we can trust him. And don't worry, we will not allow him to debase the Princess."

"Good." Impa leaned forward again. "Now forgive me for asking but can you tell me what happened seven years ago? What happened before you vanished and what have you been doing until now?"

With difficulty, Link told her how he had planned to use the Triforce to stop Ganondorf only to pull out the Master Sword and find himself spirited away by a mysterious blue light. The next thing he knew, he was awakened inside a strange place with a mysterious Sage named Rauru, who told him about going to sleep to be worthy to hold the Master Sword. Impa listened thoughtfully with her fingers interlocked. When he finished, she spoke, "That is interesting. It confirms much of what we suspected. Is there anything else? What happened after you returned to Hyrule?"

After thinking for a moment, Link remembered the strange Poe Collector and his obsession over the Four Sisters. Impa seemed to recognize him and in fact revealed that she had found him in the graveyard one day, clutching a forbidden tome filled with incredible knowledge. It had transformed him, taking his sanity from him, and ever since then Impa had kept her eye on him. It was made even more difficult since he had put himself so dangerously close to Ganondorf's stronghold.

"His stronghold?" Link asked.

She leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table and resting her face in the cradle of her fingers. "Over the last seven years, we have been tracking his movements closely… and what we discovered…" She paused. With a frown, she turned to the door.

Link followed her gaze. Navi asked, "What is it?"

The Sheikah didn't answer her but swiftly stood up and moved to the door. The rest of them, including Mena and Talon, stood up and joined her as she pulled the door open. Immediately they heard a commotion - a cacophony of voices.

Talon huffed. "What in the name of Hylia is going on out there?"

They watched as the people gathered together in the center of the village, jabbering loudly. Something was drawing them and after a while they discovered what it was. Link felt his heart flutter excitedly when he recognized the twins who had tried to sneak into the castle to see Princess Zelda seven years ago. The first man was yelling and gesturing wildly in agitation while his brother laughed himself to tears.

"Oh dear," Mena sighed. "I wonder what it is this time."

Impa frowned at the scene and Talon harrumphed disapprovingly. Link and Navi, on the other hand, turned to Mena curiously. Navi asked, "What do you mean?"

She explained, "Those two are always stirring up trouble, trying to cause a panic. That one will scream about some sort of nonsense that scared him while the other one just laughs at him. Just last week, he was going on about hearing noises in the well. He was convinced that it was a monster trying to claw its way out."

"It turned out to be nothing," Impa said quickly. "Just his overactive imagination." Her jaw was set hard.

"The well?" said Link.

Mena nodded. "Yes, the one next to the windmill. It was full of water once before it dried up. We built a cap over it to prevent any accidents."

Link nodded. Then Impa spoke, "I'll look into this," and walked quickly toward the twins. Curious, Link followed behind her and after a moment Navi came, too. Impa effortlessly pushed her way through the crowd and Link followed in her wake. They soon came to the twins.

"He was there, I'm telling you!" the first twin cried, waving his hand in some general direction. "I saw him! Dampé's ghost was walking through the graveyard over there!"

"Dampé's ghost?" Link said, stunned. "He's dead?"

"Worse," Impa told him quietly. "He's cursed. His spirit can't move on. I've tried everything I could to break the curse, but nothing's worked so far."

"Oh, the poor man," Navi said sadly.

Link mumbled thoughtfully, "I wonder if there's anything I could do?"

Meanwhile, the panicked man's brother was bent over as he laughed. He pointed and yelled gleefully, "What a sorry sight this brother of mine is! Scared of his own shadow! Sees ghosts and monsters around every corner!"

"But I'm telling the truth!" cried the panicked man as the crowd chuckled in agreement. "He was white as ash and carrying this great, big lantern! And he goes to his grave and just sinks into it… like it was water!"

The crowd laughed even harder. Navi frowned in sympathy for the poor man. She remarked, "What cruel people! To tease him like that! He was one of the denizens of the old Hyrule Castle Town. I can't imagine the sort of horrors he's been through in the last seven years."

Impa stepped forward. Seeing her, the people immediately stepped aside to let her past. They all seemed to respect her and maybe even fear her. The twins looked up and they immediately stopped what they were doing. The twin who had been laughing said in a respectful tone that Link hadn't heard from him before, "Good afternoon, Lady Impa."

She gave him a nod and replied, "Good afternoon, Zeben." Then she turned to the other twin and said, "You say you saw Dampé's ghost, Moren?"

Moren bobbed his head. "Yes, ma'am. In the graveyard... like he used to do when he was still alive."

" _Like he used to do when he was still alive_ …" she repeated as though it was a piece of a puzzle she had found. "Sounds to me like a memory you were having. Your mind may have been playing tricks on you. Are you sure you saw Dampé's ghost?"

Moren hesitated. He said uncertainly, "I thought I saw Dampé's ghost, but now that you mention it, maybe I was just remembering him walking through the graveyard…"

"That seems likely," Impa asserted. "Have you been getting enough sleep lately? The mind can play tricks on us when we're fatigued."

Moren slowly bobbed his head as he considered this. "Yes… yes, now that you mention it, I haven't been getting much sleep at all. My bed is just so lumpy so I wake up stiff and achy…"

Impa bowed her head in sympathy. "That is unfortunate. Little wonder you are seeing things. I would recommend you switch out your old bed for something more comfortable. If you do that, these issues should be quickly resolved."

Moren nodded his head with increased resolve. "Yes, you're right, Lady Impa. I will do that right now. Thank you!" He bowed and then hurried off. His brother gave a quick bow to the Sheikah and then chased after him. The rest of the crowd turned their attention to her. She dismissed them with a wave of her hand, saying, "You have heard it for yourselves. What he saw was nothing more than a figment of his imagination." Gradually, they dispersed and resumed their normal activities.

Link watched them leave with a puzzled expression. He turned to Navi, who shrugged at his silent question.

Without turning to him, Impa said, "I'll ask you to excuse me while I see into this matter."

Link stopped her. "Hey, wait! What was that? Didn't you say Dampé's a ghost? So why did you tell everyone he wasn't?"

Impa hesitated for a moment and then she replied, "Would you like to join me? I'll explain on the way."

Making their way to the graveyard, Impa explained that in recent years, the village was experiencing strange, sometimes sinister, incidents, which included the transformation of the Poe Collector and Dampé's curse. To prevent further misfortune, she did her best to discourage the villagers from poking into things that they shouldn't.

"This village contains dark secrets," she said. "And steep is the price for anyone foolish enough to seek them out."

Link shuddered.

They entered the graveyard. Both Link and his fairy were surprised to find that it was virtually unchanged. It was still a neat and tidy hill of headstones with a gentle breeze rustling the grass. They almost expected to see Dampé plodding his way across. They stood in silence, allowing the memories to wash over their minds.

"This way," Impa spoke from across the graveyard. With a start, they hurried to her side, stopping in front of a headstone that read simply, _Dampé the Gravekeeper_.

Navi commented, "Seems a little sad to put someone in a place that's out of the way like this - especially for a gravekeeper who serviced this graveyard so faithfully."

"And who made a business charging people so he could dig treasure for them," Link added with a smile.

"Oh yes," Navi said, not sounding so sorry anymore. "I'd forgotten about that."

Impa kneeled in front of the headstone and whispered what sounded like a prayer. Then she stood up, took a step back, and said, "Some room, please."

Link and Navi obediently took a step back. Then they yelled in alarm when a black lantern at the base of the headstone, which they had failed to notice before, leaped into the air. An orange flame burst to life inside and a shape appeared in its corona.

"Yawn!" said the ghostly figure of Dampé as he stretched his arms. He was just as Link remembered him except that his body was now made of white mist that rolled lazily around and he was floating above the ground with his legs tucked underneath him. He shook his head, his baggy lower lip wobbling, and then sniffed. He blinked sleepily, squinted at the Sheikah, and then said, "Ah, Lady Impa! How may I be of service?"

"Dampé," said Lady Impa in what they recognized as a mother's reprimanding voice. He actually cringed at the sound. "Were you up here just now?"

The former gravekeeper cleared his throat in response as he scratched the back of his head. "Er, well, I may have popped up for a bit of fresh air…"

"You must be more careful. You were spotted. You could have caused a panic or, worse, brought curious onlookers. We can't risk them finding anything dangerous."

"Right," said Dampé sheepishly, avoiding her eyes. "Won't happen again."

Impa nodded. "Very good. Now then, did you find anything?"

Dampé rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. "Not much, I'm afraid. A couple of old Poe charms and some congealed salve. I did find a strange-looking gadget though probably not what you're looking for. Some sort of arrowhead attached to a chain."

"Sounds like a hookshot," Impa said thoughtfully.

"A hookshot?" Link said.

This brought the old ghost's attention to him. His eyebrows jumped and he said, "Well, well! Didn't see you there! And who might you be?"

Navi bobbed forward. "Don't you recognize us, Mr. Dampé?"

He yelped, throwing up his arm, which made a racket with his lantern. Then he exclaimed, "By golly, you're that fairy of that green kid years ago! Could it be?" He studied Link's face intently.

Impa gestured to him. "This is Link, the one whose destiny it is to defeat Ganondorf and restore peace to Hyrule."

Link shuffled uncomfortably at this, but the old gravekeeper's misshapen face burst into a broad grin. "How about that? Lady Impa told me about you but I never figured you were that kid who took my Heart-Pounding Gravedigging Tour years before. Thought you might be older."

Link frowned confusedly. "But I am older! When I pulled that Master Sword, I went to sleep for seven years and when I woke up, I was like this."

Dampé waved his hands and shook his head. "I meant I didn't think of you when Lady Impa talked about Link the Hero."

The boy shook his head. "Well, who did you think of?"

Impa interrupted just as the old gravekeeper was about to answer, "Dampé, you mentioned that you found a hookshot. Can you show us where it is?"

He scratched his lumpy head. "I suppose so. What do you need it for, if I might ask?"

The Sheikah crossed her arms. "It is an old device we Sheikahs used to reach more remote areas. I don't need it, but Link here may find it useful in his quest."

"Ah, well, it's just that there are a lot of monsters and traps down there, and I don't want to see the kid get hurt."

"Link can handle himself," Navi assured the old ghost. Link himself wasn't so sure about that. Dampé seemed to believe her though for he said, "Oh, that's right. He's the hero, isn't he? In that case, I could show you."

"Excellent," said Impa. "Then we will meet you in the catacombs."

To get there, Impa led them to the farthest end of the graveyard where a large gargoyle stood guard, his shoulders hunched as though he was ready at any moment to spring on intruders. The cold look in his eyes made Link hesitate but Impa walked right up to him. She waved a hand in front of him as though checking to see if he was awake and then whispered something like another prayer. Afterwards, she positioned herself on the side of the gargoyle and grabbed his leg. She called, "Link! Take the other side. We're going to move this back."

Eyeing the gargoyle warily, Link did as she asked. Together they pulled it back. It was as heavy as Link expected but Impa made no sound. In fact, there was no evidence that she was exerting any effort. He marveled at her apparent strength.

"All right," Impa said to signal that they had pulled it back far enough. There was a sizable hole where the gargoyle had been. A ladder extended into the hole, but looking down into it, Link noted that he couldn't see the bottom.

Impa waved him toward it. "After you, Link."

He would rather have had the Sheikah go first but he obeyed without a word. At least the ladder was solid and he had Navi beside him with her comforting blue glow. He tried not to think about what was waiting down there in the dark though he couldn't help but imagine long, bony arms grabbing his leg as he descended. He shivered.

"Stay close to me," Impa said on the ladder above him. "The catacombs can be dangerous."

Which did nothing to bolster Link's courage, but he kept going, one rung at a time. Before long, the opening above them had shrunk to a tiny white square and they were being pressed by a cloying darkness that even Navi's light couldn't dispel. The smell of musty earth was strong down here, so Link tried to breathe as little as possible while controlling his pattering heart.

"Just how far down is it?" Link called up to Impa.

"We should be getting close," she answered. Their voices sounded oddly muted as though there were walls pressing in on them. Link tried not to think about how he might get stuck in this hole, wedged in and unable to move. He focused instead on Impa as she spoke, "Hundreds of years ago, a cave was discovered here and converted into a burial chamber for the Royal Family of Hyrule. Over the years, as each generation passed from this world, additional chambers were excavated for their burial, becoming the catacombs as they are today. It was designed to be labyrinthine to foil graverobbers and confuse some of the creatures that sometimes wander into here."

Link was about to ask about the graverobbers and the creatures but then his foot hit solid ground, which disoriented him for a moment, causing him to stagger a bit. Impa dropped to the ground beside him.

Navi took notice of Link's state. "Are you all right?"

"Are we all here, lad and lasses?" barked Dampé, startling both the boy and his fairy. He looked even eerier in the dark, his lantern lighting only a portion of his misty body, much of the creases in his deformed face in deep shadow. "Then stay close to me, and mind your footing. A lot of traps about down here."

"It would be best also if we remained silent to avoid attracting the beasts down here," Impa added. Link was only too happy to oblige.

Their journey was a long one, made more so by the fact that no one was speaking. Impa's face was masked in shadows, making her seem distant. Neither Dampé's nor Navi's light revealed much detail about the catacombs. The only evidence that Link could gather about it was from the distant echoes of slowly dripping water and the crunch of rock under their feet. The path alternated between narrow stone corridors and vast chambers filled with the cloying darkness. As they moved deeper inside, he did start to hear low groaning as though the earth was in pain. It reminded him of the redeads that he and his fairy had encountered in the ruins of Hyrule Castle Town, so he gripped the hilt of his sword for comfort. A while later, he heard mad cackling reverberating deep within the catacombs and he gripped his sword even tighter.

But their first nasty surprise came when they entered an unusual chamber. This was man-made, made obvious by the flat floor laid with stone squares. What was more, each square was peppered with small holes that had been bored in a regular pattern. Dampé sailed straight across it, but as Link started to follow, Impa grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back just as column of fire flared up in front of him. Navi screamed in reaction.

"Whoa!" Link exclaimed. "That was close! Thanks, Impa."

Impa held her finger to her lips and then spoke softly, "This entire chamber is rigged to incinerate trespassers. There is, however, a path that will take us safely through it. Just follow me."

They carefully started across the chamber. Impa led the way, cautioning Link to step only on the squares she took. As the path twisted and turned around the chamber, it became obvious that the safe way across could not be discovered accidentally, and Link was glad that they had Impa to guide them.

At last they made it to the other side. Just then, Dampé glided up to them and huffed out a sigh of relief, "Oh, there you are! Thought you was still behind me, but when I turned around, I didn't see you anywhere. Thought I'd die of a heart attack then - as a figure of speech, you know, since I'm already dead; thought you might have ran into a nasty trap and was done in or something."

"We're fine. We nearly ran into one, but we simply navigated our way around it," Impa explained.

Dampé chuckled sheepishly. "Oh. Well, glad to see you're okay. Probably wouldn't have been so bad if you had been done in. I mean, I wouldn't mind the company. Not that I want you to die, of course. I am glad you're okay. Ah…" He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly and then waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind. We'll just move on. It shouldn't be much further."

Perhaps not, but there were a few more traps between here and their destination; floors that dropped into bottomless pits, walls that smashed together, and a maze of narrow pathways suspended above a lake of glowing green acid. They were all tired but relieved when Dampé finally declared that they had arrived. They stood in a fairly small chamber occupied by a single sarcophagus, which seemed rather modest for the tomb of a Royal Family member. On the walls were inscriptions that seemed to describe the achievements of someone named Erazmus. Navi studied the inscriptions with interest though Link was more fascinated by the coffin and the thought that there was someone inside it. Impa was altogether more concerned with the business at hand. She turned to the former gravekeeper and said, "You say this is where we'll find the hookshot, Dampé?"

He floated to the head of the sarcophagus. "Right over here, Lady Impa."

It was in a large wooden chest banded in iron. Impa called Link and Navi over and then pointed down at it. "Take this. I've no doubt you'll find it useful in your quest."

Link did as she told him, taking it out and then lifting it into the light to study it. It was a proficient-looking device that sported a steel arrow head with tiny retractable teeth, a cylindrical body with grooves that allowed him to see a length of coiled chain inside it, and the handle with a trigger.

Impa crossed her arms as she appraised it. "This was passed down among the Sheikahs; Erazmus was the last to claim it. With this, you'll be able to latch on to targets and either pull them toward you or launch yourself toward them. You can reach new areas this way. It penetrates wood and other soft materials, but I would advise against trying it on harder targets made of stone or metal; otherwise, you may damage it."

Link nodded as he hooked it into his belt. "All right. Thanks, Impa." Navi added, "We appreciate you doing this for us."

She nodded in acknowledgement. Then behind her, Dampé spoke, "Best not to linger here for long. We don't want those creatures catching you."

"He's right," said Impa, moving toward the tunnel. "Dampé will lead us out."

He hadn't led them very far before his warning came true, however. Just as they made it safely across the pit of acid, they found themselves surrounded by floating lanterns with blue flames flickering inside them. Dampé yelped, raising his lantern to reveal the tattered robes of the Poes who held them. Faster than the eye could see, Impa drew twin daggers while Link drew his sword and shield.

Impa spoke to Link, "You have dealt with Poes before?"

He shook his head. "Not exactly. But I remember Dampé telling us that all we had to do was break their lanterns."

"Good. But be careful. Do not underestimate their cunning." And with that, she launched herself at the Poes, who charged forward with shrill cackles. A moment later, Link raised his sword and charged in the other direction with a yell as the Poes swung their lanterns at him.

The battle lasted less than a minute. The ground was scattered with balls of blue flame until they started streaming toward a glass decanter that Impa held in her hand. When the last of the blue flames had been sucked inside, Impa corked it and held it up to inspect it.

Dampe wiped his brow. "Glad it was only Poes. Could've been worse."

"We're not out of here yet," Impa said, slipping the decanter into a loop at her belt. "Come. Let us hurry."

So they did. The deep groaning sounded louder and more agitated, and none of them were keen to meet the creatures so upset.


	7. Ingo's Ranch

**Chapter 7: Ingo's Ranch**

At last, they made it safely back to the surface. Impa immediately left them, explaining that she wished to check on the Gorons and aid them however she could. Before leaving, she told him, "You must seek out that Sage that Sheik told you about." Link wanted to ask her how the Gorons were doing but she disappeared before he could.

"She's quite a busy woman," Dampé remarked, looking toward the path leading to the village where the Sheikah had gone. "Day and night, she's helping someone somewhere. I don't think she rests at all!"

Navi answered, "Hopefully we'll be able to ease her burden now that we're here." She glanced up at the sky, which had turned pink and purple. "But it may be wise to rest ourselves before we begin our quest. The hour is late."

Link shrugged. "I've been asleep for seven years. It'd probably be seven years before I get tired again."

Dampé chuckled. Navi answered seriously, "Not likely. Besides, the woods are more dangerous at night. It would be safer to wait until morning."

Link knew better than to argue. They made their way to Mena's house. On the way, he studied the hookshot that he had found under the graveyard. It was fairly heavy, the bulk of the weight in the handle that Link gripped. He fired it into the air to test it and was surprised enough to gasp when it kicked as the arrowhead shot up, trailing a chain behind it. When the chain reached its full length, the head veered toward the ground and hit it hard enough to send up a spray of dirt. Somewhat tentatively he released the trigger and the chain was reeled in again, the head slamming back into place.

"That seems a little dangerous," Navi said, a note of alarm in her voice. "You'd better be careful how you use it."

He didn't try it again with all the houses close by. He was afraid he would break a window or hurt someone who might be walking by, so instead, he clipped it onto his belt.

They reached Mena's house and asked her if they could lodge there for the night. She was only too happy to let him. Discovering Talon once again sleeping in the bed, Link refused the couch and assured the kind woman he was fine on the floor. He used his pack as a pillow once he emptied it. But Mena, wanting to show him one last bit of kindness, draped a blanket over him after he was asleep. She gave him a tender smile and whispered, "Good night, Link. And thank you. For after seven years of fear and suffering, you have returned and brought us hope."

…

Link set out for the Kokiri Woods early the next day. He was surprised to see food packed for him, consisting of dried meats and fruits. He went to thank Mena but found her fast asleep on the couch. So he gave her a silent nod of thanks and went his way.

There was an unsettling stillness out in Hyrule Field in the early hours. Not a bird chirped nor was there any sound of an animal scurrying through the grass. There were only the squat, scaly trees - the peahats - whose long leaves fluttered occasionally. Navi assured him that they wouldn't be active at this hour, but their fluttering leaves made seem like the twitches of restless sleepers who could wake up at the slightest sound, so he kept his distance.

Taking this precaution took time and so the sun was high in the sky before Link had even gotten halfway across the field. Fortunately, within sight was Lon Lon Ranch where he might get a horse to make the crossing quicker. Malon was there though he remembered that Talon had said she now worked for Mr. Ingo. He was curious to see how she was doing after seven years and was worried for her. He remembered what kind of man Ingo had been.

"I hope she's all right," he murmured.

Navi nodded in agreement. "She'll be happy to see you."

"It's been seven years," said Link worriedly. "Do you think she'll recognize me?"

"I'm certain she will."

Still Link was worried. A lot had changed in seven years, so who knew what he would find when he got to the ranch?

As he neared it, he could hear sounds of yelling and whinnying. He also heard sharp cracks, which made him cringe.

Navi gasped, "Oh dear, I hope that's not what I think it is."

"I'll put a stop to it," Link declared, pulling out his sword. He hurried inside the gate leading into the ranch.

There were a few horses running inside the corral. Most of them were huddled in the center, shying away every time they heard the crack of a whip. It took Link a while to locate the one cracking it, but at last he spotted him standing at the entrance to the corral. Link could tell by his wide stance and the way he held his head back that the man was reveling in his power, cracking his whip for no other reason than to terrify the horses into submitting to him. Link tightened his grip on his sword and started forward to confront him, but as he passed the barn, the door opened and a young woman walked out.

"Malon?" Link gasped in surprise, skidding to a halt and staring.

"Huh?" Malon looked up guiltily. Then her eyes widened and she gasped, "Oh! Are you visiting? We haven't had visitors in such a long time… besides Ganondorf, I mean."

Link was shocked by how much Malon had changed. She had grown a lot since Link had seen her last. It was like waking up, thinking you were home only to find you were in someone else's house. But what was even more disturbing to Link was seeing the change in her disposition. Before, she had been such a cheerful girl who had said strange things and giggled a lot, but now she looked so downcast and dispirited, burdened by the troubles of the world.

"What happened here?" he asked her.

She looked up to the sky as though looking for strength there. Then she answered, "It used to be so wonderful here… where we ran with the horses… where we sang and laughed… where we made friends… where we lived…"

She sniffed, "But now my dad's gone and no one comes to visit anymore. People are so afraid of the monsters out there and Ganondorf…" She swallowed a visible lump in her throat. "Mr. Ingo took over the ranch, and he's so mean to the horses. He wants to train them so he can give them as a present to Ganondorf."

"WHAT!?" both Link and Navi exclaimed in horror. Navi added, "How could Ingo favor such an evil man? How could he?"

Malon continued, "I try to help the horses as much as I can. That's the only reason I stay here. I wish I could go look for my dad and see if he's all right, but…"

Navi told her, "Your father is all right. He's in Kakariko Village and he's really worried about you."

"You mean you've seen him?" Malon gasped, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "And he's all right? Oh, that's a relief! I feel a little better now. I want to see him… but the horses…" She bit her lip as she glanced toward the corral where they could see Ingo cracking his whip.

"Leave that to me," said Link, staring grimly ahead. "I'll soon have this straightened out." He marched determinedly toward the man holding the whip, his sword in his own hand.

But as he got closer, he couldn't help but pause and stare. It was indeed Mr. Ingo at the corral, cracking his whip, but he had changed. Seven years ago, he had worn dirty overalls and always scowled. He wasn't scowling anymore. Instead, he wore a smug expression that was complemented by a fancy red suit that shimmered in the light, with a lot of frills, including on the cuffs, the collar, down his front and around the hem of his pants. On his feet, he wore a pair of shiny, black leather boots, and on his hands he wore white silk gloves. In his gloved hand he carried a whip with a mahogany handle, which he cracked with relish.

"He certainly seems well off," Navi commented darkly. "Courtesy of Ganondorf, no doubt."

"He won't get away with it," Link said and marched forward again. Mr. Ingo turned at the sound of his footsteps, and his bushy eyebrows drew up in mild surprise. He seemed to have noticed Link's expression for he asked, "Is there a problem?"

"Yeah." The young man jabbed a finger at him. "This ranch belongs to Talon!"

The affluently dressed man snorted. "That oaf? What nonsense! This ranch is mine and rightfully so after all the blood, sweat, and tears I put into this place! The great Ganondorf recognized that and he helped me assume my rightful place as its steward."

"You kicked out Talon and left him to fend for himself!" Navi snapped. "Outside where all the monsters are! He could have died!"

"That isn't my problem," Mr. Ingo huffed angrily, waving his hand dismissively. "He wasn't fit for ranching and I have no room for deadweights on my ranch! On my ranch, we are the pinnacle of efficiency and effectiveness; we don't stand for nonsense or tomfoolery. Our only aim is to raise the finest horses in all of Hyrule. The great Ganondorf will receive the finest for his help in this endeavor, of course." His mouth stretched wide in a smug smile. Link found it difficult not to simply slay him on the spot.

Mr. Ingo took him by surprise by asking him, "Would you like to ride one of my fine horses? I will show you I am not making idle claims. Of course, I will have to charge you for it. Excellence does not come without a price, you know."

Link stared at him in disbelief. It baffled him that someone could be so arrogant and cruel. Did he really think calling it "excellence" justified the suffering he caused? He really thought he had earned the ranch, after Ganondorf, an evil man, helped him steal it from Talon!

"What should we do?" Link asked his fairy companion. "We can't just let him get away with this!"

She sighed. "I don't see what we can do. Perhaps if we overthrow Ganondorf, who he seems to hold in high esteem, he'll have no one to impress and will give the ranch back."

"Overthrow Ganondorf? That could take forever!"

"Though I agree with you that leaving the horses and Malon with Mr. Ingo is a deplorable thought, we have graver concerns," Navi responded grimly. "At present, it seems to be the best course to take… unless you mean to challenge him to a duel?"

"What's wrong with that idea?" Link grumbled.

"For one, he has no weapon to duel you with, and it would be dishonorable to pit yourself unfairly against him," said Navi. "And for another, I doubt he would accept. He seems wholly convinced he's the true owner, and no challenge is going to change his mind."

Link growled under his breath. Then he sighed and said, "Can't I save even one horse, then? I could use one to travel on."

Navi nodded slowly. "Yes, that is an excellent idea. Ask him if you may borrow a horse for your travels."

So, keeping his repulsion in check, Link turned to Mr. Ingo and asked to borrow a horse.

"Borrow a horse?" cried Mr. Ingo as though he had never heard of such an idea. Then he answered, "Young man, I can't just let anyone borrow my fine steeds; I need to know if you know how to handle them properly. But I'll make a deal with you. Pay me ten Rupees and I'll let you ride one of my horses. Then maybe we'll see if you're good enough to borrow one."

Mr. Ingo was right, Link realized. He had never actually ridden a horse before. His last attempt to borrow a horse seven years ago had ended in abysmal failure. The horses had been too big, and he had been too inexperienced. But a horse would be very helpful for his journey, and to be able to save at least one horse from Mr. Ingo's harsh regimen would put his mind at ease.

So he paid the extravagantly dressed man his ten Rupees. Mr. Ingo greedily snatched them into his silk-lined gloves and then chuckled, "A pleasure doing business with you, young man. This way, please." He waved Link through the gate. Following the young man inside, he pulled the gate shut. He pulled out a shiny, gold key from his breast pocket and used it to lock the gate. After putting it back in his pocket, he pulled out a gold-rimmed pocket watch. He grinned wickedly at Link and told him, "You have two minutes."

"What?! That's not fair!"

"On the contrary," responded Mr. Ingo with a smug smile, "you only paid ten Rupees, so you get two minutes. That is a generous amount of time for the measly sum you paid, and you're only wasting the time you paid if you are going to complain about how I run my business. Now choose a horse - you have 1 minute and 53 seconds left."

More than ever, Link wanted to run his sword through the gaudily dressed man. He turned and searched the corral, trying to spot a good horse. The corral was large and most of the horses were keeping as far away from Mr. Ingo as possible. It would take time to catch one and he didn't have all that much. What he needed was a way to call one to him.

Then he remembered the song Malon had taught him seven years ago. He remembered how it had won over her pony to him when she had been afraid of him. Maybe he could attract a horse this way. So he pulled out his ocarina and, after humming it to himself a few times to jog his memory, played its beckoning notes.

Sweet and peaceful, the notes floated around the ranch. The horses that were huddled at the farthest end of the corral - broken after years of weariness and fear - lifted their heads and turned to him. Some pawed the ground tentatively as though they wanted to approach but feared being punished. Some whinnied hopefully. Mr. Ingo noticed the change in the horses and his eyebrows rose in surprise. He was unsure what to make of this.

The horses were responding to the song, nickering and shuffling restlessly, yet none of them made a move toward Link. As he concluded the song, he felt disappointment and a little fear. What happened to Epona? Had Mr. Ingo done something to her?

"I thought you wanted to ride, young man!" the man called to him. "You've only wasted time playing that silly, little tune. You now only have 1 minute and 24 seconds left!"

Link looked to the horses at the end of the corral. Maybe if he played the song while moving closer to them, he could get one to let him ride him. He brought the ocarina to his lips and drew in a breath to play, but then he heard whinnying and the sound of galloping. He turned in surprise and saw Mr. Ingo doing the same.

A chestnut horse leaped over the gate and sped past Mr. Ingo, almost trampling him and ruining his expensive-looking suit. She whipped past Link and then wheeled back, slowing to a canter until she stopped at his side and nudged his shoulder affectionately.

Link reached up to touch her muzzle, his face lighting up when he recognized her. "Epona!"

She shook her head and whinnied as though to confirm it. Link patted her nose, smiled, and exclaimed, "Wow, Epona. You've really grown!"

"Fifty seconds!" Mr. Ingo warned, glowering at the pair of them.

This made Link grin. He turned to Epona's saddle, studying it for a moment before he figured it out. He placed his left foot in the stirrup, boosted himself up, threw his other leg over her back and then settled into the saddle. He leaned forward and patted her neck. He whispered into her ear, "Go easy on me, Epona. This is my first time riding a horse."

She snorted and shook her head. Link leaned back, took hold of the reins, and, with a bracing breath and a yell, kicked her sides.

She started at a slow canter as though she had understood Link's request. He was not used to it though, and found it uncomfortable bouncing in the saddle. Navi noticed his clumsy riding and she flew in to give him advice. "Try to feel the rhythm so that you go up and down with Epona."

"How?" Link asked, almost biting his tongue as he bounced. "It's like trying to swim in that tunnel from Zora's Domain to Lake Hylia."

"All you have to do is swim with the current - or in this case ride with the bounce," she answered.

Link wasn't quite sure he understood what she was saying, but he decided to try it. When he bounced up, he stood up slightly in the stirrups and then came down as Epona did, landing in the saddle just as she came down on her hoof. To his surprise, this worked very well. It was as if they were one body now.

When he thought he finally had the hang of it after a few trots, he said to Epona, "All right, let's go faster now. Hyaa!" and snapped the reins.

Epona neighed and broke into a half gallop. Riding this was a little different than riding a canter, he discovered. Not only did she go up and down but now there was a rocking motion he had to deal with. He was bounced back and forth and he had to rear on the reins to keep himself from being thrown off.

"Whoa! Slow down! I wasn't quite ready," he said, his face green.

"You're doing fine," his fairy said encouragingly. "You just need a bit of practice."

But it seemed his "bit of practice" would be cut short, for Mr. Ingo yelled out, "Ten seconds!" Intent to make the most of his time, Link flicked the reins again with a "Hyaa!" and braced himself. This time he focused on the movement of Epona's body and attempted to synchronize with it, leaning his body forward while shifting the weight of his balance to his feet. Gradually, he felt a thrill of excitement running through him when he realized he was doing it! He was riding Epona!

"Time's up!" Mr. Ingo yelled, placing his pocket watch back into his breast pocket.

With a regretful sigh, Link wheeled Epona around and trotted her back to Mr. Ingo where he pulled on the reins to stop her and then dismounted. "Thanks, Epona," he said as he stroked her head.

As Mr. Ingo watched him, he frowned thoughtfully as though a thought had occurred to him. He said, "You know, there's something about you that seems familiar. Have we met before?"

Navi answered, "Why? Does it matter?"

Mr. Ingo scratched briefly under his mustache and then tossed his hand dismissively. "No, I suppose not." He chuckled. Then he said, "Would you like to ride again for ten Rupees?"

"You said I could borrow her if I could ride her," Link reminded him.

The ostentatious man snorted. "I said you could borrow _a_ horse, not necessarily _that_ one."

"Why does that matter?" Navi demanded.

"Hmph!" he snorted again. Then, with a glance at the small steed, he grinned slyly and said, "I'll tell you what: if you can beat me in a race on _that_ horse, I'll let you keep her. What do you say?"

Link frowned suspiciously. "What's the catch?"

Mr. Ingo chuckled unpleasantly as he rubbed his hands together. "Well, if _I_ win then I get to keep you as my ranch hand. You look like you'd serve well as a horse trainer for me."

Navi gave a small gasp of horror, but Link gave it serious consideration. He could use a horse for his travels and save it from Ingo's cruel conditioning. And the man probably thought he had an advantage over Link, but seeing how the horses cowered from him, Link was willing to bet that Ingo would have a difficult time controlling his horse in a race. It was an opportunity too good to pass up.

He lifted his head and looked Mr. Ingo straight in the eye. "Deal."

"Link!" his fairy exclaimed in alarm. "Are you sure? You have an important task to fulfill for Hyrule. If you lose this race, you'll be enslaved to Mr. Ingo… possibly for the rest of your life!"

"I can beat him," Link said confidently. "He doesn't look like he's ridden a horse much. His clothes are too fancy."

"You've only just learned to ride yourself," Navi pointed out.

"I can beat him," Link insisted.

Mr. Ingo chuckled. He then snapped his whip and barked, "Midnight! To me!"

A black horse trotted over but then hesitated when it saw the whip. Mr. Ingo snapped the whip again and the horse moved closer, head bowed meekly.

Link saw why Mr. Ingo chose Midnight to race with. He was a large, powerful-looking horse, who stood twice as tall as Epona. But seeing how hesitant he was to get near the ornery ranch owner, Link's confidence swelled.

Finally, Mr. Ingo had him close enough to mount him. He lifted his foot into the stirrup, which was so high that the man had to lift his leg above his waist. He bounced on his other foot as he tried to boost himself up to the saddle. He grabbed the saddle with both hands and grunted as he slowly lifted himself onto Midnight's back. At last, with a sigh of exertion, he managed to swing his leg over and settle into the saddle. Then he smiled smugly at Link, winked, and chuckled, "Shall we begin the race, then? Two laps around the corral."

Link smirked back. "I'm ready." More and more it was obvious the smug ranch owner knew nothing about riding horses. If he rode as clumsily as he had climbed into the saddle then Link had nothing to worry about.

They guided their horses to the starting line outside the corral. Standing side by side, the difference in the horses' size was striking. Midnight's head was level with Link's own and the muscles that shaped his body were as solid as the twisted trunks of a mighty tree. The young man was counting on Ingo's lack of horsemanship to win this race. He glanced toward the barn and saw Malon standing there, her fingernails in her mouth.

Mr. Ingo lifted his arm and yelled, "Ready?"

Link waved back.

"Three, two, one… GO!" With a roar, Ingo snapped his whip above Midnight's head. He leaped forward with a powerful burst of speed before Link had time to react.

"Oh no! Epona go!" Link cried, leaning forward.

She obediently broke into a gallop, but immediately Link could see the bigger horse was faster. He was gaining the lead steadily, egged on by Mr. Ingo thrashing his whip and yelling like a madman. Even when Link urged Epona faster, he could see it was no use. If he was going to win this race, he would have to rely on something other than speed.

He scanned the track for something that might give them an advantage. Then he noticed something interesting when Ingo and his horse turned the corner. Though Midnight was fast, he was also heavy, which caused him to take wide circles around turns. Link smiled when he realized where his advantage lay.

He nudged his horse closer to the fence that followed the track and continued to urge her on. At the turn, he wheeled her sharply around it, keeping so close to the fence his feet were nearly touching it. The larger horse may have had the speed, but his weight prevented him from making sharp turns, meaning his route around the track was longer. By staying close to the fence, Link and Epona could shorten their track and, hopefully, take the lead.

Ingo and Midnight rounded the next corner. Two seconds later, Link and Epona rounded the corner. They were closer to Ingo and his horse, who had just managed to drift back to the fence after the turn.

"Careful, Link," Navi warned him. "If you get too close, you could run into the fence!"

Link paid her no mind. He leaned forward even more, focusing intently on the track and the racers in front of him. Ingo was getting away again.

Then he turned another corner. Link wheeled around this corner, cutting it so close that he felt the fence catch his leg and tear at it. He grimaced in pain but did not stop to check it. He concentrated even more on the black horse and consoled his pain with the fact that he and Epona had gotten closer! Midnight's tail was nearly whipping at their faces!

They rounded the next corner. This time, Link and Epona were side by side with Ingo and Midnight. The gaudily dressed man looked down at them. He sneered and whipped his horse faster. They began to pull ahead.

Around the next corner, Link and Epona found themselves neck in neck with Midnight. Encouraged, Link continued to urge his horse, "Come on, Epona. You can do it. Come on…"

When they turned the next corner, Link and Epona were in the lead. Link turned back and grinned at Ingo, who shook his fist angrily. The young man laughed and turned back. Navi darted next to him and said, "Don't get too cocky, Link. There's still a bit of track left to go."

"He won't catch up," Link assured her confidently.

They turned the last corner. Now it was Epona's tail whipping in front of Midnight. Link could see the finish line within sight, but as he looked down the track, he realized with a sinking stomach that the distance was a little longer than the previous tracks between the corners. But this was only the first lap. Whatever distance they lost on Ingo on this stretch, they could win back around the corners.

Much sooner than he expected, Link saw the black horse gallop past him, spittle flying from Ingo's mouth as he screamed at Midnight and cracked his whip. He reassured himself that the corners would still be their allies on this lap. At the speed Ingo was driving his horse, their turns would be wider than ever.

Yet it seemed Ingo noticed their trick in the first lap and was going to attempt to try it himself. He yanked hard on Midnight's reins to force him into a sharp turn. What followed was nothing short of disastrous. Midnight shrieked as he stumbled and crashed straight into the fence. The wood caught at Ingo's pants. He screamed horribly in pain and leaned forward to ease it but he ended up falling to the ground. His pants tore, revealing a long, bloody gash in his leg.

Navi gasped. "Is he all right?"

Link slowed Epona as they reached the corner. He peered curiously to see Ingo struggling to his feet and cursing. He seemed more angry than hurt. Midnight didn't seem the worse for wear either. He wriggled himself through the broken fence and then cantered off into the corral. Ingo screamed after him but was still busy removing his leg from the wood. He gradually fell behind as Epona continued to trot the course. It seemed now that the race was theirs. Mr. Ingo was certainly not going to be back on the track any time soon.

"You really should have learned by now not to allow yourself overconfidence," Navi warned him. "Ingo could catch up at this pace you're going."

"He's going to have to catch his horse before he can," Link pointed out. "And besides, you don't want me to wear Epona out, do you?"

"Well… no. But all the same, Link, I wouldn't underestimate Mr. Ingo."

As it turned out, she was right. Link had only turned two corners when he heard pounding behind him. He turned to find a black blur pass him. He wheeled to the front in shock to see Ingo in front of him, galloping at full speed. He screamed at the top of his lungs and cracked his whip with such ferocity, he seemed to be beating a tempo for Midnight's pace.

"Oh no!" Link exclaimed.

Fortunately, Epona had already broken into a gallop to keep pace with the larger horse, but Link realized to his chagrin that his fairy had been right, and now that Ingo had gotten ahead of them, they would have to exert all their effort into taking back the lead.

They turned the corner. The angry ranch owner seemed to have learned from his mistake, but he was still quick to wheel his horse back on the track. Link, who had managed to gain a little, was forced to hold Epona back when he saw how viciously Ingo was coming toward them. He was dismayed to discover that he was going to have to find a way to gain on him without getting rammed.

The irate ranch owner swung Midnight around the next corner in a wide circle, and Link seized his chance to cut in closer. He watched Ingo steer his horse back to the track, and he saw the crazy gleam in his eye again that warned him he would be rammed if he didn't move. Yet he decided not to give in and instead steered Epona toward Ingo in challenge.

Ingo hesitated, surprised the young man would defy him like this. Then the young man smirked at him, which only infuriated him.

They rounded the next corner. Ingo screamed in frustration when Link weaved in front of him, forcing Midnight to slow down. Link was feeling a vicious pleasure at thwarting the arrogant peacock. He didn't imagine Ingo would retaliate, so he was taken by surprise by what he did. Ingo raised his whip and then lashed it at Epona's flanks. She screamed and stumbled, giving Ingo the chance to pull in front of her, laughing cruelly as he passed by.

Navi shook with fury. "How dare he? How dare he maim a horse just for an advantage? How dare he?"

"He won't get away with it," Link promised her, his eyes with a hard glint.

They rounded the final corner. Again Link took the corner tightly, bringing him and Epona closer to Ingo and Midnight. Mr. Ingo cracked his whip with more fervency than ever. With the goal this close, he seemed determined to cross it first, whatever it took. He brought Midnight drifting toward Epona again, raising his whip for another attack.

Link drew his sword and intercepted as Ingo brought it swishing down. It cut clean through. The severed tail of the whip spun in the air, striking Link on the temple before it fell to the ground. The young man cried out in pain and doubled over. His fairy cried out in concern for him. "Are you all right?"

An angry red mark ran next to his eye and down his jaw. It stung but eventually he lifted his head and said with a grim smile, "At least he won't be using that whip anymore." Then he leaned forward and said to Epona, "Time to pay him back for that." He flicked the reins and steered her toward Mr. Ingo with the intent of running him off the track.

Ingo roared furiously, tossing the stump that had been his whip at Link. He dodged it and continued to whisper words of encouragement to Epona, nudging her closer to the infuriated ranch owner. Midnight sensed her getting closer and he responded by drifting away from her. Then Link wheeled her close to the fence again, creating a gap between them that attracted Mr. Ingo's attention. He wheeled Midnight back toward the fence, causing the big horse to stumble and giving Link and Epona the lead they needed.

"NO! You stupid horse! You let them get ahead! Move faster, you useless mule!" Ingo slapped Midnight on the head and kicked him in the flanks.

But it seemed Midnight had finally had enough. He skidded to a halt, causing Ingo to smash his face against the back of his broad neck. Stunned by the blow, Ingo lost his grip and he slid off the saddle, landing hard on the ground like a sack of potatoes just as the young man and his little chestnut mare crossed the finish line.

Malon let out a cheer before she could stop herself. She had been biting her nails during the entire event, hoping fervently for her horse and the new visitor to beat Mr. Ingo. Now she was giddy with happiness. Epona was free! She felt daring enough to sing.

But she was sobered by the realization that now Epona would be leaving her. She was still trapped here on the ranch, and Mr. Ingo was surely going to be in a fearsome temper for this humiliation. He would be even crueler to the horses now… and to her… And once again, an oft wished dream came to her of a dashing hero sweeping her off her feet and carrying her far away from the awful things of the world.

Mr. Ingo smashed his fists into the ground, screaming furiously, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no! How could you?! You useless…! How could I have lost?! I had the fastest horse on this ranch, but you…!" He lifted his head and glared at Link with crazed eyes gleaming. "You had a runty, little pony! You had…" He fell silent and his mouth dropped. Then he leaped to his feet and jabbed a gloved finger, which had torn in spots and was smudged with dirt. "That horse! Epona! How did you tame her? How did you tame that wild beast so easily when I was never able to break her? You must have cheated, that's how! There's no way you have her trained! No way!"

"That is of little consequence to you now," Navi said. "We made a bargain. We won you in your race, so this pony is ours."

Ingo did not look happy about it. In fact, his face was beet red and he was tearing out his mustache. He turned his back on them and started stomping toward the house where Malon was watching.

Then he suddenly paused. Malon saw the thoughtful look the ranch owner had on his face as he stared at the gate leading out of the ranch. Then she saw a wicked smile spread on his face, and he began giggling madly. Her heart sank. He had a wicked plan, she knew - a wicked plan for the stranger and Epona.

Ingo strode to the gate, still giggling. He placed a hand on it. Then he spun around to the young man astride the chestnut beast and he called out heartily, "Congratulations, young man! You've beaten me in my race, and as promised you get to keep the horse."

Navi nodded to him and replied, "Thank you, Mr. Ingo. We appreciate you allowing us to borrow one of your horses."

Link had the feeling though that his fairy had spoken too soon. Something in the man's tone hinted at a condition.

And he was right, for Ingo said, "However, I never said you could take the horse out of this ranch!" He suddenly slammed the gate shut, grabbed a large, heavy-looking lock and snapped it over the latch. With a high-pitched, "Woo ha ha!" he clapped his hands together and danced a smug victory jig.

Navi became livid. "How _dare_ he pull a trick like that? How _dare_ he?"

Link didn't say anything. He had just noticed the section of the corral fence that Midnight had crashed through, and he brightened as he got an idea. He pulled out his ocarina and then began to play Malon's horse-calling song. This time though he played it with the intent to call all the horses together. He played with tenderness to soothe their broken souls yet with passion to breathe life into them.

The horses turned to the music, their ears flicking forward hopefully, but for a while they didn't answer the call. But after Link played several verses, they began to draw toward the young man. It had been so long since they had heard it with this much life before, in a time when they were happy. The spirits that were once broken began to lift again. They lifted their heads higher. Their eyes began to sparkle.

As they drew nearer to the young man playing this comforting music, they nickered to each other in encouragement. Gradually they formed into a group behind him. Then, as Link finished the song, they turned to Ingo standing behind the fence that blocked their only escape.

The pompously dressed ranch owner had stopped his giggling when he had heard the music. It nettled him to hear that song twice now after he had banned it. It was as if the young man was defying him… challenging him! Refusing to yield to him despite the fact he was obviously the craftiest man in Hyrule. But when the horses gathered around the young man, he felt something else entirely - fear.

"D-don't try anything funny now!" he stammered, stroking his mustache in an attempt to bring himself under control. "You're under my control now, so you do as I say!"

The young man gave no response. His eyes regarded him with calm disdain, making Ingo even more nervous. He increased his stroking.

"I'm a reasonable man," he continued, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "I'll let you work for your freedom. Two years and then you can leave… with your horse."

The young man still didn't move. The horses stood behind him as though waiting for his command.

"You can by my horse trainer. I will put you in charge of caring for the horses. You can be my second-in-command!"

But this failed to generate a response from the green-clad young man. Malon bit her lip. The air was thick with tension, and any moment things would come to blows.

Ingo began to lose his temper. "Listen here, I'm making you a very generous offer! Either you can accept and disband those horses or I will have to punish you all! You and those horses!"

This did nothing to frighten them into submission. The young man turned to his fairy friend and murmured a few words to her and then turned to the army of horses behind him, raising his hand where he still held the ocarina. He was signaling.

"I'm warning you!" Ingo's voice rose to a shriek.

The young man brought his arm down. He put the instrument to his mouth and then blew out the first notes of Malon's song in a fanfare. Her sweet, peaceful song had just been turned into a battle call.

The horses charged. The battery of their hooves shook the ground and rolled like thunder towards the gaudily dressed Mr. Ingo, whose eyes shot open in panic.

"Ack! No! Stop! Stop! Gaaaaah!" Realizing his attempts were futile, he dived to the ground and covered his head with his arms, trembling.

Epona leaped over the gate. The rest of the horses were too weak to attempt the jump, but Midnight stopped before it, turned his back legs to it and kicked it, ripping it off its hinges and creating an opening for the horses to pass through. Ingo scrambled madly out of the way of their hooves and sought shelter in a corner.

Malon's eyes widened in awe at the sight of the herd of horses thundering out of the ranch. Her gaze shifted to Link, who rode up next to her, grabbed her hand that she had subconsciously stretched to him, and swung her up into the saddle behind him. She gasped at the thrill and clasped her arms firmly around Link's waist.

Before she knew it, the walls fell behind them and they were flying across a vast open field. To Malon, it was like taking a breath of fresh air after being cooped up indoors. She tilted her head back to catch the wind in her hair and she laughed.

The joy in her voice made Link smile. The tight knot in his stomach that he had had since awakening to this world started to ease. Maybe he _could_ bring hope back to Hyrule. Maybe there was a chance he could fix the mistakes he had made so long before. At the very least, he had done this one good thing…

Suddenly, Navi bobbed in front of him. "Watch out, Link! You're getting too close to a peahat!"

"Huh?" Link pulled sharply on the reins to stop Epona. To either side, the newly freed horses galloped past him, unaware of the danger that lurked just ahead. "Oh no!" he cried.

"What's wrong?" Malon asked, fear in her voice.

Link fumbled into his pouch for his ocarina, but even as he brought it to his lips, he found it was too late. Without warning, the squat, scaly tree launched into the air in an explosion of black dirt, and then the air was rent by a sinister "thwop thwop thwop" sound. Alarmed, the horses screamed and then scattered in all directions, galloping toward the other peahats dotted about the field.

"Oh no!" Malon screamed. "They'll get chopped to bits! Please, sir, you've got to save them!"

There wasn't much time to act. Beneath the peahat, four bone blades spun, chopping the air with a deadly "thwop thwop thwop," and they were veering toward the horse and her two riders. Epona whinnied and reared defensively, throwing Link and Malon to the ground. Link leaped back to his feet, drawing his sword as the peahat came for him. Epona spun on her hind legs and fled past Link.

"Epona!" Malon cried.

"Ha!" Link brought his sword down in an overhead strike to parry the peahat's blades. The shock of the blow speared pain through his entire arm up to his shoulder, and the Master Sword was ripped from his hand, sending him sprawling into the ground. The peahat swung its heavy body around, its blades tearing up the ground within inches of Link before it spun into the sky to get another run at him. Link lifted his head and looked around desperately for his sword.

"Over here!" Navi called, waving to him.

He scrambled to his feet and ran toward his fairy bobbing above the Master Sword. Close behind him was the "thwop thwop thwop" of the peahat's blades until it seemed he would feel them chopping into his back. He dived for his sword and felt a fierce burst of wind as the peahat sailed past him. He got quickly to his feet and then thrust his sword out to the side to begin summoning Din's Fire. The peahat swung around in the air and came at him again in a dive. He hadn't built enough power in his sword yet, but the peahat gave him no choice but to swing his sword. It traced a red line in the air before it clashed against the peahat's blade. Link tried to hold on to the blade, but the shock this time was so strong that Link flipped backwards once in the air and then crashed onto the ground, sending a ripple of pain that stabbed through his ribs and down his spine. There was also pain concentrated in his left shoulder. He tried to ignore it and get to his feet, but it seemed the pain had him locked in place. The peahat's blades chopped the ground within a hair's breadth from his nose, throwing grit and gravel into his face.

He sneezed. His eyes felt gritty and hot with tears. Even so, he witnessed the peahat crash to the ground, its blades tilling it. He noticed one of the blades was missing - it had been broken off. The power in his sword must have been enough to chop through it and without that blade, the peahat couldn't stay in the air.

But that didn't mean the threat was past. Dangling from the bottom of the peahat was a tangle of roots writhing like worms on a larger stem root, which was reaching out toward him. The roots were blood red. Link was still paralyzed by the pain and couldn't move out of the way. He felt a vice of fear tightening around his chest. Was this his end? Was this the death of hope for Hyrule?

There was a blur of movement and, a moment later, Link recognized Impa. She had sliced her dagger through the roots and they were now limp on the ground, an unnerving amount of blood pooling where they had been cut. She turned to him and asked, "Are you all right?"

Link tried to say yes but he couldn't get enough air into his lungs to speak. Impa hurried to his side and then pulled out a decanter filled with glittering pink water, Fairy's Tears. Without warning, she rolled him onto his back, causing him to cry out in pain. She lifted his head, which seemed to open his lungs and he was able to breathe better. She held the vial to his lips and spoke quietly, "Drink this. This will help." Then as he began drinking, she said, "You were lucky we happened to be passing by. Are all those horses yours?"

Link choked and then answered in a raspy voice, "Talon's… I freed them from Ingo… got too close to peahat… they ran…"

They heard footsteps and then Malon appeared with Navi beside her. She was covered in dirt and her dress was torn in places but otherwise she seemed unharmed. She cried, "Is he all right?"

"He should be after a good night's rest," Impa answered, corking the vial and putting it back.

"Oh, that's… that's a relief!" Malon looked ready to break into tears. "He freed all of us from Mr. Ingo, and then…"

"We're all glad you're okay," Navi said to Link. Malon held clasped hands to her lips so she only nodded.

"I might advise, in the future," said Impa, getting to her feet, "that you think ahead and exercise caution. Bringing all these horses out here where all these peahats have taken root was a very risky move."

"I… I just thought…"

Impa waved him silent. "No matter. We've managed to bring things under control and no one's been seriously hurt, aside from you."

Link nodded. Then he grunted as he tried to lift his head. The pain had receded some. He asked, "Where are the horses? They…"

Impa answered, "Sheik is taking them to Kakariko Village for the time being. He's given us two to ride back on if you're up to it. Can you stand?"

There was still some pain but not so much that he wasn't able to get to his feet. He felt stiff and his head throbbed. He swayed on his feet while the world slowly rocked from side to side.

Impa glanced at Malon. "He may need some help mounting, if you're willing?"

"Oh, of course!" she said in surprise. She glanced at the ground and spotted something. She moved toward it. "Oh, I found your sword." She reached for it.

"Don't touch it!" Impa barked suddenly, causing Malon to leap back guiltily. The Sheikah woman then explained in a softer tone, "That is a sacred blade too dangerous for anyone other than the Chosen Hero to touch."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know," the ranch girl whimpered.

"It's all right, Malon," Link told her as he walked over and reached down to pick it up. The blood ran to his head and he felt the world sway. Squeezing his eyes shut, he felt for the hilt and then straightened and sheathed it. He staggered as he waited for the giddiness to pass.

Impa nodded at him. "You need rest." She turned to the fairy hovering next to him. "I'll rely on you to ensure that he does just that."

Navi nodded. "You can count on me."

"And as for you, Malon," said the Sheikah woman, turning to the young girl. "I'm certain your father will be very happy to see you. He's waiting for you now at Kakariko Village."

Malon gasped, clapping her hands to her mouth. "My dad! Oh, it's been so long; I can't wait to see him! Can we…" She turned to Link for permission.

He nodded. "Come on. Let's go see him."


	8. The Minuet of Forest

**Chapter 8: The Minuet of Forest**

Link was feeling a little better by the time they reached Kakariko Village. They arrived to find the horses wandering the hills and the people drawn out of their homes by curiosity. The children laughed as they chased the horses. Link searched the village for Sheik, who Impa had said was leading the horses to safety, but he didn't see him at all. He seemed to have vanished shortly after bringing them here. Impa dismounted next to the house where Mena and Talon stood. When Malon spotted him, she yelled, "Daddy!" dropped from Epona's back and raced to him. He roared, "Malon!" and caught her in a tight embrace, looking fiercely protective as though he never wanted to let her go again.

"He rescued me, Daddy!" Malon exclaimed, pointing to Link. "And all the horses! He beat Ingo in a race, but Ingo tried to trap him in the ranch, but he played my song and all the horses ran out, and he swooped me up, and we rode away!"

"That he did," Talon said happily. He turned to Link. "I don't know how I can ever thank you enough."

"I'm just glad I was able to make things right," Link replied sincerely.

"I'm grateful to you," Malon added with a smile and a curtsy. She giggled. It warmed Link's heart to hear it again. Then she said, "If you don' mind… may I ask your name?"

When he gave it to her, she brought her hands to her mouth and exclaimed, "Oh!" Then Talon nodded to Link and said, "I also appreciate you rescuing the horses from that scoundrel, Ingo, for me. They look as though they've had it rough in the time I was gone."

Mena gazed around the village. She commented, "Those are a lot of horses running around."

Talon nodded. "You're right. Safe as it is, they can't just be running around loose in this village. We need to find them a place to run around where they can be safe…" His mouth settled into an uncharacteristically serious frown. "I'm going to have to take them back to Lon Lon Ranch."

"What?!" Link and Malon gasped. Impa closed her eyes, bowed her head and let out a sigh through her nose.

"I'm going to talk to Ingo and see if we can work out something," Talon explained firmly. "I'll do everything I can to make sure the horses get the best, but they need to go back."

No one said anything. Link realized Talon had a point, but he had gone through a lot of trouble to get all the horses away from Ingo's ranch and it seemed a little like a betrayal for Talon to suggest taking them back.

Then Impa looked up and said, "You're right, Talon. Taking them back to Lon Lon Ranch is the best course. But the path there is dangerous; I would feel better if you allowed me to help you escort the horses back."

"I appreciate the offer, but you're already so busy, I'd feel terrible for making you do that," said Talon. He clapped a hand on Malon's shoulder. "Don't worry. Between me and my daughter here, I'm sure we'll see our way safely through. We can control the horses, and as long as we steer clear of those carnivorous shrubs, we should be safe enough."

"Mmm," said Impa, unconvinced. "If you insist."

Mena turned to each of them, noting their somber expressions. Then she spoke up, "Come now! Your daughter has been returned to you! I believe that is reason to celebrate!"

Talon's typical grin was immediately back on his face. "I won't say no to that! This lad here has helped me out on a few occasions, so I must show him my gratitude! Let us celebrate Link, the hero of Hyrule!"

"I'll start baking some cakes, right away!" Mena exclaimed excitedly and hurried into the house. Talon clapped Malon on the shoulder and flashed a grin at Link. "Well, come on in, boy! We can't celebrate if you're not there!"

Navi intervened before Link could respond, "He needs rest. He was injured before coming here, so I hope you understand."

"Oh, it won't be anything too exciting," Talon promised with an airy wave of his hand.

True to his word, the affair was a modest one yet quite merry. During the preparations, Link attempted to help but he was firmly shooed to the couch by everyone and Navi made certain he stayed there. He protested that he was fine but to no avail. Fortunately, there wasn't much time for him to pout about it. The food was soon set and everyone gathered around the table. Impa had gone again on some mission after telling Link when he had asked her about Sheik, "Do not worry. You will meet him soon." As the group ate, they talked about the days before Ganondorf took over. The talk subdued Link, who could not suppress the guilt inside him over his failure to prevent the catastrophe. Navi, ever sensitive to her Kokiri's wellbeing, noticed. Mena also noticed and ended the talk by saying, "But I'm certain we'll have those days again, thanks to Link."

"That's right!" Talon thumped his fist emphatically on the table and turned his beaming face to Link. "You're the hero. You're going to take on this Ganondorf and end his reign, you see if you don't!"

"We believe in you," Malon added supportively.

Link was touched. He smiled at them and said, "Thank you. You don't know how much your words mean to me."

They, of course, insisted that it was him they had to thank for the hope he gave them after seven years of hardness. Talon added with a sheepish grin, "Besides, we needed an excuse to celebrate!" and with a laugh, they all toasted to it.

At the end of the day, Link's spirits were high and his injuries had all but vanished. He had no problem with sleeping on the floor since both the bed and the couch were taken. Talon had suddenly developed manners at his daughter's return, insisting that Mena take the bed, on the condition that she shared it with Malon, while he took the couch. It was unexpected though when Malon came over to watch Link prepare his bed, and he felt a little awkward, noticing the embarrassing little details of his every move as he arranged his equipment so he could use his pack as a pillow. He noticed Navi smiling slightly, which only made him feel worse. He turned his focus to the bed, smoothing out wrinkles and tugging the corners, but eventually he ran out of adjustments to make and he was forced to look up at her.

"Oh, uh, hi, Malon," he murmured as though he had just noticed her.

She looked like she was about to laugh but she managed to check herself. She said, "I just wanted to thank you for what you did for me… and the horses."

"There's no need," he responded, blushing furiously. "I really couldn't just leave you there."

Malon shook her head, her red hair dancing in front of her. "Still, that's twice now you've done me a big favor, fairy boy." She grinned impishly. "You know, I've always wanted a handsome knight to sweep me off my feet. And it was definitely worth the wait."

"Oh," was all Link could think of to say, ducking to hide the blush in his cheeks. Navi drifted into a corner while she tried to control her snickers. Malon giggled and then said, "Well, good night… fairy boy." She gave him a wink and then turned and walked back into the bedroom. Over on the couch, Talon chuckled, and above him, his fairy smiled. Link did his best to ignore them as he settled onto his pack, his cheeks still flushed.

…

Thick snake-like roots pushed through crumbling stone walls and slithered across the uneven floor, tangling around each other in impossible knots, lying in wait to trip up the careless. A single person was attempting to navigate the treacherous path. If it wasn't for the light of her fairy, she might have fallen victim to the malicious roots long before.

Her fairy was able to evade them with ease yet it was she who was unhappy with this journey. She had a great sense of unease as they made their way through the ruined corridor. Her light cast enormous shadows on the walls that slinked across ominously – shadows big and dark enough to hide anything that could actually hurt them.

"I don't like it here," she said in a hoarse whisper. "I've got a bad feeling about this place. Come on, let's go back."

"I can't, Anai," her Kokiri responded. "Something's calling me here and I need to find out what it is and why it's calling me."

"For all we know, it could be some monster just waiting for you to fall into its trap so it can gobble you up," said Anai with a shudder.

"I don't think so. It doesn't feel… dangerous. But it does sound like it needs help."

The fairy was not convinced. What she heard were the faintest scrapes of Skulltulas burrowing into the walls and sinister whispers of Poes. At any moment, she expected something to lunge out of the shadows and drag them into some dark netherworld, if they weren't already strolling right into it.

It seemed to be hours before the constricted hallway opened into a large chamber overgrown with more vines. Barely visible beneath the heavy foliage, on each of the walls, were three doors. They appeared to have been closed for many years, sealing away ancient secrets waiting to be discovered.

But something else drew their attention. Down in the center of the chamber, different colored lights flickered from four torches that stood at each corner of a raised platform. In the center of the platform, there stood a strange box with no sides. It was large enough for a person to stand inside it, though what it was for, neither of them was certain.

Yet it seemed to have put the Kokiri girl under a spell for she was drawn forward. Her fairy darted forward and grabbed her by her green hair. "Please, let's go back! The feeling's getting worse. There's something not right about that box."

Her Kokiri tugged her hair free and kept going. "If you really must, you can go back, but I need to keep going," she insisted.

Anai groaned. "You know I can't leave you. It's too dangerous to go alone! I'll go with you wherever you go, but I just wish it wasn't this way. This bad feeling I have just keeps getting worse."

The Kokiri girl climbed the steps to the platform, which creaked ominously beneath her boots. The wood sounded old enough to snap beneath her weight as she crossed the platform but it held so she reached the strange box unharmed. She tentatively touched the corner struts, but any evil it contained remained hidden. Encouraged, the Kokiri stepped inside.

With a grinding shudder, the box began to sink.

"Oh!" Anai cried. "It's a trap! Get out, hurry!" She darted in and tugged her friend's sleeve.

"It's all right," her friend assured her. "It's not a trap. I can feel that we're getting closer.

Having been unable to persuade her charge, Anai could only watch helplessly as the floor rose above their heads and sealed them in stone. She brightened her light to chase away the shadows though it did not make her any less anxious. As the box descended, twisted branches with heavy leaves reached inside like emaciated hands groping for the Kokiri and her fairy, but by huddling in the center, they managed to avoid their clutches. It was a relief when light appeared at their feet and worked its way up the box. Anai and her charge stepped out as the box gently touched the ground.

They were deep within the body of an enormous tree, sheltered by a great canopy made up of thousands of leaves. It was dark and slightly chilly, almost as if they were underground. All around them, the branches of the crown reared up. In front of them, rough wooden steps led downward to a decorated door. There seemed to have been an attempt at grandeur, for the steps started out wide, narrowing slightly down each step, but the final effect only made the path seem longer than it was. The Kokiri girl hesitated a mere moment before making her way briskly down the stairs, her fairy following behind. As they neared the bottom, the details of the door became clearer, revealing it to be twin doors adorned with intertwining vines of brass, silver, and gold, and emerald leaves sprouting from the limbs. Also, as they got closer, the fairy began shivering. She whimpered.

"Are you all right, Anai?" her Kokiri asked.

"I-i-it's getting w-worse," she chattered. "S-something really e-e-evil is behind there!"

Her Kokiri was adamant. "But this is where the call is the strongest. Whatever is calling me must be in trouble with the evil you feel. I need to go in there." She braced against the heavy doors and slowly pushed them open just enough for her and her fairy to slip inside. The doors shut behind them with an ominous clunk.

They stood in a small circular room. A rather unassuming plank bridged the gap between the entryway and a stone platform, on which was inscribed a symbol depicting three leaves spinning around each other. Trees acting as pillars braced the walls, and on the walls, making Anai shake worse than ever, hung large paintings, all depicting the same dismal scene: a road flanked by bony trees, winding into dark hills with a yellow moon in a black sky. There was something ominous about those paintings, Anai thought. There was more to them than just paint.

She said nothing. She realized by now that her friend was determined and could not be persuaded. But when the Kokiri spoke, she thought she detected a hint of doubt. "It must be here somewhere…"

Then the back of her neck prickled. Her blood ran cold. Behind her, she heard the huffing of a vicious beast.

She tried to speak, but her voice came out soft and rough, "Sa… Sa… Saaaa…"

Her thrumming heart suddenly froze when she heard a slow, deliberate laugh. "Heh… heh… heh…"

"Sariii…"

Her Kokiri heard the laugh too. She turned, and when she saw the dark figure behind her, she raised hands to her mouth and screamed.

" _Saria!"_

…

Link bolted upright, his chest heaving and cold beads of sweat on his forehead. He turned immediately to his pack and began digging through it.

The noise woke Navi, who murmured sleepily, "What's going on, Link?" When she noticed how agitated his rummaging was, she immediately became alert and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Had a dream," Link replied in a rush. "Saria's in trouble…" He finally pulled out the ocarina and dashed outside, with Navi close behind him. He put the ocarina to his lips and played the lively melody that Saria had taught him. When he finished, he watched the sky expectantly, waiting for her voice to enter his head. When she failed to answer, he played the song again. Still she did not reply.

He lowered the ocarina slowly from his lips. "Saria's in trouble," he said again. "I've got to help her." He went back into the house to gather up his belongings and then returned outside. He summoned Epona with her song, quickly saddled her, and then kicked her off. His fairy flew beside him and she told him, "Malon and the rest may wonder what's become of you when they wake up and find you gone."

"I'll make it up to them later," Link answered. "But right now, I need to reach Saria before something terrible happens to her."

…

Thanks to Epona, the sun had just begun to reach its apex by the time they reached the forest. Link patted her flank fondly and said, "How could I have ever gotten anywhere without you?"

But as they progressed through the forest, she began to act strangely. She nickered nervously and paused frequently, cantering in a nervous dance and bobbing her head.

"Come on, Epona," Link coaxed her. "What's wrong with you?"

"Something must be making her nervous," Navi remarked, glancing around the forest.

"We're almost to the Kokiri Village. It's safe there." He patted the chestnut horse's side reassuringly.

But the closer they got to Kokiri Village, the more skittish she became. Link and Navi grew worried but kept her going forward. But when they reached the bridge, no matter how much they prodded her, she refused to cross. Her nervous cantering was worse than ever and she had even begun to whinny as though pleading for them to let her leave.

"I suppose we'll have to leave her here," Navi said. "Something has her truly terrified. But what?"

"It should be safe past this bridge. Kokiri Village is just across it," Link replied. His tone betrayed his worry.

"Could something have happened in Kokiri Village?" Navi wondered aloud ominously.

So, leaving Epona behind, they crossed the bridge. Link had been excited to be home after being away for so long, but his horse's behavior now instilled doubt into him. In a world overrun with monsters, Link had been sure the forest was the one safe haven where Ganondorf's influence could not reach. Kokiri Village was well hidden, and few were foolish enough to wander into the Lost Woods surrounding it.

Then a small, sinister whisper in his mind recalled the words of the Great Deku Tree just before his death, _A thief practiced in the art of dark sorcery… who infected me with that parasite_. The vision of Saria traveling down a dark corridor overgrown with twisted vines flashed into focus, and he knew. He had been naïve to think anywhere was safe. Blinded by a desperate hope that his failure to stop Ganondorf was not as devastating as it seemed.

They stepped out into the grove of Kokiri Village. Link turned to see how his home had been corrupted when Navi screamed, "Watch out!"

Link leaped out of the way as something snapped its purple jaws at him. He drew his sword, shrugged off his shield, and dropped into a battle stance only to freeze and stare in horror.

"What _is_ that?"

The question was reactive. He knew what it was. He had faced a creature similar to this before, except he didn't remember it being so ugly and large. Slime dripped from its gaping purple maw as it straightened until it towered over him.

He stammered, "That… that… that can't be a…"

"A Giant Deku Baba!" Navi concurred, her voice laced with horror. "Those are supposed to be extinct. They must have been revived since Ganondorf's takeover."

His sword at the ready, Link crept closer to engage with the primordial monster. It watched him cunningly, bobbing its head back and forth as though waiting for him to strike first.

"This thing's smarter than a regular Deku Baba," Link commented, circling it warily.

"Don't let your guard down," his fairy advised. "Be patient and wait for the best moment to strike."

But rather than wait, Link decided to try goading it. He danced in and out of its reach. It followed his antics with much bobbing of its head but nothing more.

…until it lunged for him, catching him off guard. He tripped as he scrambled backward out of its reach. It snapped for his foot, startling him into slamming the hilt of his sword on its ugly head. The blade seesawed, slicing through the stem. It screeched and jerked its head back, right through the sword's edge. The two halves fell to the ground with twin flops, and the stalk withered with a whispery crackle.

Link got quickly to his feet, his sword out in front of him defensively. He swiveled his head, alert for any threats that might be coming to challenge him, and he saw just how much his home had been changed.

It was no longer a green grove dappled by golden sunlight. Everything had turned a sickly pale color. The trees, once so full and lush, were thin and their bark was cracked. The grass had become brittle. The stream, which had once bubbled through the village, now oozed like gray mud.

But perhaps the most depressing sight was how empty it was. The only signs of life were the ugly purple Deku Babas scattered around the grove and the Skullwalltulas that placidly scratched the bark of the trees. The dwellings around the village looked as though they hadn't been lived in for years. Gray dirt spilled through the doorways and ragged curtains hung limply in the windows, heavy with dust. Link recognized toys scattered outside a few of the homes: wooden swords split by many cycles of rain and sun, Deku nuts that had cracked with age, paintings that had faded, dolls stained after being trod on many times… relics of an ancient time, when there were joy and innocence, worn down by the evils of the world. Evil had found this refuge. It had failed to escape.

Navi's voice came out small, "Wh-where is everyone? Could they have been… do you think…?" She seemed to be trying to voice her worst fears but was unable to do so.

Link's attention was suddenly drawn to the far end of the village. "Saria's house," he said and then ran to it. Navi followed behind him. Right away, they both saw something unusual. In the doorway of Saria's house, a stack of crates had been placed, preventing access to it. He braced his shoulder against the stack and began pushing it. It slid forward.

Then it slammed to a halt. Link braced himself for another and more forceful push but was astonished when he felt the crates pushing back. "What?" he gasped as his feet slid backward. He managed to stop the crates by planting his feet against the doorway although the force did not abate.

He gasped again when he heard someone yell, "Come on, everyone! Push! The monsters are getting in! We can't let them get in!"

"We can't! The boxes are stuck! They won't go anymore!"

"Push harder! Don't let the monsters get in!"

Those voices! They were young Kokiri voices – the voices he had grown up hearing. His fellow Kokiri were all here… in Saria's house! They must have hidden in here when the monsters appeared, using the boxes to block the door. Now they thought he was a monster coming in and they were trying to push him back out.

So he called out, "Nikko! Nikko, it's me! I'm not a monster!"

This seemed to work for the boxes were no longer pushing on him. He heard Tammy's voice as she said, "Nikko, did you hear that? Someone out there called your name."

"It's a trick!" came Nikko's voice immediately. "Don't let the monsters fool you! They're trying to trick us into letting them in! Keep pushing those boxes!"

"No, wait, it's me!" Link yelled as the box pushed harder against him. "Nikko, it's me! Link! Nikko, wait!"

"Nikko, I really think…"

"DON'T LET IT IN!"

Link cried desperately to Navi, "They're not listening to me!" as he exerted more effort into pushing the box without success.

His fairy told him, "Wait one moment. I'll sort this out," and then slipped inside. Looking down, she saw huddled shapes pushing desperately with all their might against the boxes, grunting, and whimpering. A cluster of faint lights in the back revealed the fairies, clinging to each other for protection, keeping their lights as dim as possible so they wouldn't be found.

She was shocked to see fairies reduced to this state. They were supposed to be the voices of reason for their Kokiri. They were supposed to be the ones to reassure their charges – give courage - and protect them from danger. Instead, they cowered in the dark while the ones they were supposed to protect fended off the monster themselves.

Except Link wasn't a monster.

"STOP!" She shot into the air above the Kokiri and let out a burst of bright light. The Kokiri screamed and retreated from the box. They wrapped their arms around their eyes and whimpered in terror, expecting at any moment to be eaten by a monster.

The boxes scraped against the floor as it was pushed inwards and then Link stumbled out from behind it. He sighed. "Thanks, Navi."

"Get back! I'm warning you!" A wooden sword was suddenly thrust into his face. He blinked in surprise at Nikko. Nikko blinked back although his eyes were full of tears and he kept nodded and angling his head. He couldn't see him.

"If you want to eat us, you're going to have to go through me first!"

"But Nikko, I'm not going to eat you! Don't you recognize me?"

The sword froze in the young Kokiri's hands. His eyes stopped jerking and narrowed as he tried to focus on Link.

"Who are you?"

"Don't you recognize me?" Link asked again. Navi hovered near his face and lit herself up to help.

Nikko responded decidedly, "I've never seen you before in my life."

Link was amazed. Of course, it had been seven years since he had left the Kokiri Forest. He had changed a lot since then – a lot more than the Kokiri he had grown up with. In fact, he realized with a start, none of the Kokiri in here appeared to have changed at all! They hadn't aged a day since he'd vanished! But how could that be?

Navi looked around at all the pathetic huddles of Kokiri and fairies. She asked, "What happened? Why are you all hiding in here? What happened to the forest?"

Tammy sniffled. "Ever since the Great Deku Tree died, things went bad. First came those big, ugly plants that tried to gobble us all up, then those big, creepy Skulltulas, and then those Wolfos. The forest became dangerous… especially at night."

"It's been so scary," said Barry in a small voice. "We've been hiding in here for days. Saria and Mido are the only ones brave enough to go out there for food and stuff. But now both Saria and Mido are gone."

Link became instantly alert. "Where is she?"

Tammy replied, "She said she was going to the usual spot to check on something, but it's been hours and she hasn't come back yet. Mido went to look for her, but he hasn't come back either."

Nikko suddenly swished his wooden sword up and yelled, "Don't tell him any more! You all told him too much already!"

"But maybe he can help us!" Tammy snapped, whirling to face him.

"How do we know he isn't here to kill us?" Nikko's fairy demanded, leaping into the air.

"Don't you dare talk that way to my Kokiri!" Tammy's fairy jumped up as well.

The air was charged with tension, the result of living in fear for so long. It saddened Link to see the Kokiri once so happy and carefree now so lowly and meek, forced to hide in their homes and do everything they could just to stay alive. Without the Great Deku Tree to protect them, they were all defenseless. And it was all Ganondorf's doing. Ganondorf would pay.

But right now, Saria was in trouble. He had to find her before something happened. Tammy said she had gone to the usual spot – the Sacred Grove. The vision he had had didn't look like the Sacred Grove, but maybe he would find a clue there that could help him find her. He turned immediately to go, but as he stepped forward, Barry cried, "You're leaving?"

He turned back. "I'm sorry, but I have to go see if Saria's all right. I have to make sure nothing bad has happened to her."

"But who's going to protect us from the monsters?"

Link hesitated, looking into the faces of the group he had grown up with. They looked so lost, so helpless… they looked upon him as though he was their only hope. Even Nikko had a look of despair on his face at seeing Link leaving.

"I'll come back for you," he promised them. "After I save Saria, I'll come back and do everything I can to make the Forest safe again. Just wait for me. Stay in here until I come back. I promise I'll stop all the monsters, and things will go back to the way they were. Trust me."

He left the house. The Kokiri and their fairies silently watched him leave. Then Tammy spoke, "I… I think I trust him."

"I think he's a friend," said Barry timidly. "It… it feels like I met him before… a long time ago…"

"And did you notice," Barry's fairy, Moni, spoke up, "that he had a fairy with him? One of our fairies?"

"That's impossible!" Nikko said though he didn't sound very confident about it. "Only Kokiri can have fairies."

"Maybe he is a Kokiri," Tammy suggested. "He was wearing Kokirish clothes."

"But how could he be?" Nikko argued. "We're the only Kokiri in the world. We can't leave here or we turn into Stalfos. And no one's left this village in a long time. Not since…"

He was afraid to speak the name. No one else offered it though they all knew who he was speaking of. But was it possible? Could it really be him?

…

It had been seven long years since Link had traveled through the Lost Woods to find Saria. Back then he had her song to guide him. But now the woods were ominously silent. He had to rely on Navi, who had the better memory.

"Right at this fork…" she murmured as they traveled, "…through this grove of wildflowers… across this rise…" She was doing her best to lead them along the path they had taken when the Skull Kid had guided them. She only hesitated twice but was able to quickly find the correct path and keep them going.

Link kept his eyes out for anything suspicious. The silence of the woods was weighing on him and he was expecting something, like a wolfos, to jump out at any moment. Then he heard something move, causing him to whip out his sword.

Leaves rustled and twigs snapped as something in front of them moved. It sounded clumsy, which couldn't have been anything terribly threatening. Then they heard voices.

"Are you sure you want to keep going?" said one. It sounded female. "I'm pretty sure I heard something in here. I think it was a wolfos."

The other voice spoke, and it sounded vehement. "I told you, Jeera, I'm not leaving until I find Saria and bring her back!"

"She'll be fine," said Jeera. "She knows these woods better than anyone. Please, let's just go back. It's not safe here."

"I don't WANT to go back!" snapped the other. "Not without Saria. Without Saria… well, I just don't care! I don't want to live without her!"

"But your friends…" Jeera wheedled.

"I don't have friends! Maybe everyone thinks I'm stupid and don't notice, but I'm not! But Saria…" the other voice broke and Link thought he heard a sob.

He looked up at Navi in surprise. "I think it's Mido!"

Her face was creased with worry. "He shouldn't be out here. It's too dangerous."

Link was only half-listening. He was stunned to hear Mido crying. He had never heard the burly Kokiri cry before. He had always been the toughest - always yelling, sneering, and picking on the smaller Kokiri, making sure everyone knew he was the boss and didn't forget it. It was unthinkable to see Mido cry, and yet that was exactly what Link was hearing. Things must have truly become terrible since Ganondorf's takeover.

Link followed the voices - Mido's sobs and Jeera's entreating suggestions - until he came upon them sitting on a fallen log. Mido tried to stifle hiccupping sobs while he jabbed his arms across his tear-streaked eyes and snot ran down from his nose. His sour-faced fairy rubbed his cheek as she tried to console him.

She gasped in alarm when she saw Link emerge from the trees, and she darted away. Mido twisted to see what had startled her, and then leaped off the log and whipped out a wooden sword. "Stop! Who are you and what do you want?"

Link held out his hands in a gesture of supplication. "It's okay, Mido, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm looking for Saria."

"Why? What do you want with her?" Mido demanded loudly, jabbing forcefully with his sword. He was almost screaming. It might have been intimidating if he hadn't been half Link's height. He hadn't aged, either. As it was, he was clearly terrified and trying to make up for these by being as loud as possible.

Link maintained a calming voice. "I need to find her, Mido. She's in danger and I have to save her."

"How do you know his name?" demanded Jeera. She was also trying to be intimidating, but her flickering light gave her fear away.

Navi answered coolly, "Because he had once lived in Kokiri Village until, seven years ago, your Kokiri had him banished. Don't you remember?"

The sword dropped from Mido's hand, and his face turned white, bringing out his freckles starkly. "But I… no… You're lying!" He reached for the sword again but he seemed too afraid to let the stranger out of his sight to bend all the way down for it. His hand twitched fitfully just above it.

Link spoke, "It's okay, Mido. I forgive you, but you need to let me find Saria. Please, Mido. I'm worried about her, too. You have to believe me."

Mido's words came out in hoarse whispers, "But I… but she…" He turned his head though not before Link saw his eyes streaming with tears.

Jeera shot forward. "Who do you think you are, upsetting my Kokiri like that? I don't know how you found out all that about him or why you're doing this, but I think you should leave!"

Navi flitted forward, facing the irate fairy. "Jeera…" she began.

Then they all heard a sound coming from the depths of the woods, growing in volume. It was a voice pitched high with fear, wailing the same word again and again, "HEEEEEEEEELP! HEEEEEEEELP!" Mido wheeled around, bringing up his fists defensively, but Link exclaimed, "That sounds like Anai!" and stepped forward.

Anai soon appeared, weaving around the trees as she flew as fast as she could towards the village, wailing, "HEEEEEEEELP!" She halted in the air when she spotted the group.

"Oh, Mido!" she gasped and darted down to his height. "You've got to hurry! It's Saria, she's…" She gave a shuddering wail.

"Where is she?" Mido demanded.

"In the Sacred Grove. She went into the temple and when she did… I… I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen, and now she's… you've got to hurry…"

Navi demanded, "Anai, what happened?"

"Can you take us to her?" Link interjected.

Anai turned to Navi and her mouth fell open in shock. Her eyes flickered to Link though she didn't seem to be able to look at him directly for long, returning to Navi. It was as though he was a shimmering illusion and only Navi was something which she could focus on.

"Anai," Navi said sharply to get her attention. When it didn't work, she called her name again. On the third try, Anai shuddered, fixed her wide stare on her and cried, "Navi! It's you!"

"Anai!" Navi snapped. "Where is Saria? What's happened to her?"

But Anai was unable to take any more, so she buried her face in her hands and sobbed uncontrollably. "Sh-sh-sh-she's been take-take-taken!" she hiccupped. "S-s-s-s-something…"

"Where is she?" Link asked urgently.

"T-t-t-t-temp… temple! Sacred… Gro-gro-gro…"

Mido stepped forward, his hands balled into fists. "Take us to her! Now!" His eyes were red and puffy from crying, but the scowl on his face was the same as it had ever been.

"Please, Anai," Link added.

But she was too upset to do as they asked. She collapsed to the ground, her shoulders heaving. Taking pity on her, Link knelt down and gently picked her up.

Navi shook her head. "She doesn't seem to be in any condition to help us."

"Can _you_ take us to the Sacred Grove?" her Kokiri asked her.

She nodded. "I will try." Mido's mouth dropped in surprise. His fairy scowled. Navi turned and began leading the way. Link followed after her then Mido joined and finally Jeera. They moved quickly, concern for Saria urging them on.

"We'll save her, Anai, don't worry," Link said to the fairy in his palm. Her only response was a wail intermitted by hiccups.

…

"Moblins!" Jeera hissed.

The party halted just before the clearing in front of the wooden bridge leading to the giant tree where the Sacred Grove sat. Guarding the bridge was a moblin.

A memory flashed into Link's mind: Hyrule Castle Town burning, and an army of hulking beasts tossing around people like rag dolls. The moblins: brown wiry fur cloaking bulging muscles, round cloven hooves, tusks thrusting up beside their dripping snouts, and cold, beady eyes. This one held a spear in his large hands and he scanned the trees suspiciously, almost as though he was expecting them to appear.

Mido hissed, "Are you sure Saria's this way?"

"We should go back," Jeera suggested.

"Not without Saria!" Mido snapped

Link clapped his right hand over Mido's mouth, his left held high to keep Anai out of harm's way, and peered anxiously at the moblin. He had swiveled his head suddenly and was now squinting and sniffing in their direction. He must have heard Mido's outburst. Anai was sniffling up on Link's palm but he couldn't do much about that.

"Go back to the village," Link whispered urgently to Mido.

The stocky Kokiri ripped his hand off his mouth. He snarled, "Who's gonna make me?"

"Seriously, Mido," said Link, his tone sharp. "It's too dangerous. And the others need you back in the village. I'll take care of the moblin and find Saria."

"Why should I trust you?"

Link clenched his fist in frustration. Navi answered for him, "Because he's the best chance of getting your friend back safely. Do you think you can defeat that moblin?"

Mido dropped his gaze without answering. His lower lip trembled though he was obviously doing his best not to cry. His fairy drifted closer to him, reaching out her hand to touch him on the cheek. "I think we should listen to them, Mido. Let's go back to the village."

"And hurry," said Link. The moblin was advancing cautiously to their hiding spot, his spear in front of him.

Jeera implored him, "Please, Mido. They'll save Saria and bring her back safe and sound. I trust them."

"Me too," Mido said quietly.

"Then come on," said Jeera, looking happier since he agreed. "That moblin's coming."

"'kay," he mumbled. Jeera flew off toward the village. Mido glanced back at Link. His eyes were still red but there was something piercing about his gaze that unsettled Link. After a moment, Mido harrumphed and then followed behind his fairy.

Link was a little suspicious that Mido wasn't going to go back to Kokiri Village, but he couldn't worry about that now. He turned to find the moblin was now probing the leaves that separated them with his spear. He transferred Anai to his right hand and pressed her against his chest to muffle her sniffling while he stooped down and picked up a rock. Navi gave him a questioning look but didn't dare speak with the moblin so close. Link looked to the left and then tossed the rock that way where it crashed through the underbrush.

The moblin turned to the sound. With bated breath, they waited while he squinted into the foliage. After what seemed like hours, he finally moved to investigate. Link waited, and then with the moblin's full back turned to him he burst forward. The brute spun to face Link, bringing his spear around, but the young swordsman was too quick, thrusting the Master Sword underneath his ribcage. The moblin sank to his knees with a gurgle and then flumped to the ground. Link wiped his sword clean on its furry body.

"Oh my gosh," said a tremulous voice from his right hand. He opened it and found Anai pointing a shaking finger at the moblin. "Did you just…"

"It's dead," Link assured her. "It won't be hurting anyone ever again."

She dropped her arm, her expression awestruck. She looked up at him with a piercing gaze similar to Mido's but more hopeful. She whispered, "Then Saria… you really are…"

"Come on," Navi directed. "We've not time to waste. Let's rescue Saria."

Seven years ago, the path to the Sacred Forest Meadow was a complex maze that had taken Link and Navi several minutes to navigate. Now there was a path that ran straight to the stairs. It appeared as though it had been hacked out violently, with dead branches piled high on either side. At the sight of it, bitter dread filled Link's stomach, but what he spotted at the top of the steps leading to the grove seemed to dissolve it entirely.

The biggest moblin Link had ever seen stood guard at the top. He was three times as tall as the young man, with arms so large they seemed to have been stuffed with boulders. He hefted a club as big as Link on his broad shoulder. As the grown Kokiri approached, the moblin leaned forward and snarled, pulling the corners of his lips away from his sharp, yellow teeth.

Anai looked up at the brute, her face pallid. She glanced up at Link and murmured, "You're not thinking of fighting him, are you?"

Link's response was to frown thoughtfully. Anai leaped out of his hand and dodged behind his shoulder. She wailed, "There's no hope! That thing is twice your size! One swing of that club and you'll fly to the other side of the world! Oh, Saria! Oh, if only we'd never come here! We're doomed!"

"Calm down," Navi told her. "We'll figure something out. We've been in worse situations and come out all right. And we'll do it again. We'll save Saria. We just need to figure out how to get past that brute up there."

"And I think I know how," Link said, his face splitting into a wide grin. He ducked into an adjacent corridor, out of the moblin's line of sight. He said, "Stand back, everyone," and then began waving his arms in what appeared to be a sort of dance. First he crossed his left arm over his chest while he thrust out his right hand. Then he pulled in his right hand, his arm shaking as though he was containing pressure. Then he swung his arms down and thrust them up, bringing his hands close together as though cradling a ball. Gradually, the ball shimmered into being, a rush of the faintest green. Eventually, Link released it, and with a whoosh he was wiped out of sight.

Anai screamed. Navi covered her mouth and hissed, "It's all right! He's only become invisible. This way, he can sneak past that moblin." Anai's eyes were still wide with shock, but she slowly nodded her head to show she understood. When Navi was assured Anai was under control again, she released her mouth and then turned to the moblin. The two of them waited for Link to take care of it.

Though the Great Fairy had told him he was completely invisible by Farore's Wind, he was a little cautious at first, taking tentative steps into the middle of the path leading up to the giant moblin. The brute didn't turn to look at him but was still watching the spot where Link had ducked into. The Kokiri took a few steps forward, tiptoeing automatically before forcing himself to try louder steps, for he remembered the Great Fairy had said he wouldn't be heard either. When the moblin made no indication that he heard him, he grew bolder and strutted up the steps. He drew the Master Sword.

He nearly tumbled back down the steps when the giant moblin started coming down, wondering if he had heard him after all. Then he noticed the moblin was still watching the nook as he came. He must have grown curious to see what a Kokiri was doing hiding in there. Link forced himself to relax and readied his sword to stab it through the monster's stomach. To his alarm, the blade wobbled in his grip and he felt his eyelids growing heavy. The spell was taking its toll.

Then it grew worse. The moblin suddenly froze and looked sharply down. He was not yet close enough for Link to stab him but he seemed to have sensed the Kokiri somehow.

"Enchanted breeze," he grunted, much to Link's surprise, who had never heard the moblins speak before. Then without warning, he smashed his club on the steps. He narrowly missed Link, who did actually tumble down the steps this time. When he hit the bottom, he was too exhausted to get back up, but the moblin was coming down fast now, swinging his club in front of him. The whooshing sound it made as it buffeted the air sent Link's heart beating frenetically, giving him the strength to roll out of the way just before the moblin barreled past him.

"Where are you?!" the giant roared, smashing the hedges with a wide sweep of his club. "You think you can hide from me?"

Link dragged himself to a corner and then blew away the Farore's Wind. The spell took too much of his energy. He dug through his pack, trying to do it quietly so as not to attract the enraged moblin, and pulled out the provisions Mena had packed for him. He took the dried fruits and put them in his mouth. He chewed slowly but determinedly, fighting to stay awake. Gradually the energy from the fruits began to fill him again.

In the air, the two fairies recovered from their close call with the brute's club. Navi had seen the moblin charging toward them and had grabbed Anai's arm and yanked her upward just before the beast smashed his club through the hedges. She could feel Anai shaking through the grip on her arm. She scanned the area for Link, praying that he was all right.

"There he is!" Anai cried.

Navi looked and so did the moblin. She realized the mistake and thrust Anai's arm down, but it was too late. The moblin was stalking to where she had pointed.

"You fool!" Navi snapped, shoving Anai away and then darted down behind the moblin. She yelled, "Hey! This way, you ugly brute!" and waved her arms but he paid her no mind.

So she resorted to her last trick. She darted in front of him and let out a burst of light.

The moblin squeezed his eyes shut and roared in irritation. He swiped the air blindly, catching the fairy by her feet. She tumbled headfirst toward the ground but caught herself and flew out of the way before he tried again. She called to her Kokiri, "Link, get up! Hurry!" The moblin lashed out again. She was buffeted by the air, the tips of his claws barely grazing her wings.

Link wasn't yet fully recovered. Still, he heard the urgency in Navi's voice and he knew he had to do something before the brute found him and smashed him to bits. The moblin swam in and out of focus in Link's vision, a haze brought on by the depletion of his energy. He pulled out his recently acquired hookshot from his pack and lifted it in front of him. His aim was unsteady but his target was fairly large so he wasn't too concerned about missing. He just had to get his fingers to cooperate and squeeze the trigger. Slowly yet inexorably they tightened against it. His exhaustion fought him, but eventually, with determination, Link pulled the trigger.

The kick snapped his hand back, causing him to gasp in pain, but he achieved his aim. The arrow and chain shot through the air and pierced the moblin in the gut. He dropped to his knees with a roar and clutched the head of the hookshot. Link's hand fell limp, unable to hold the handle. It flew to rejoin its head buried in the brute's stomach, punching the arrow further inside and causing him to double over and roar even louder.

Navi flew to Link's side. With some trepidation, Anai joined her. Navi nudged Link's head and yelled, "Get up, Link! That won't stop him for long!"

Link raised his finger weakly, pointing to his pack. "Food…" he sighed.

She darted obediently inside and hauled out as much food as she could hold in her arms. Link reached for them, but his fairy darted to his mouth with a piece of dried peach and said, "Here, just open your mouth and I'll feed you."

Meanwhile, the moblin had regained himself and was now working on pulling the hookshot out of his stomach, his teeth clenched and a growl growing in volume. At last, he wrenched it out with a howl and then angrily threw it forward, where it landed next to Link. The head was covered in blood and still clutched strips of flesh in its tiny, retractable teeth.

The brute huffed, still clenching the wound. His eyes burned with hatred as he snarled, "For that, you vile worm, I will make your death a slow and painful one." He dropped his club on the ground and stalked toward the fallen boy, flexing his blunt claws.

"Eep!" Anai shot away. Navi, holding a piece of jerky to her charge's mouth, saw the moblin coming and cried, "Get up, Link! Now!"

He grabbed the hookshot and aimed at the moblin, but the brute ripped it out of his hand and tossed it aside. He then raised his fists to beat Link.

"No!" Navi screamed.

There was a thump followed immediately by a howl. The moblin twisted and stretched his arms over his shoulders, trying to reach the arrow that protruded from the back of his neck. There was another thump and another arrow appeared in the wound in his gut. Then two more hit his chest and a final one lodged in his throat.

He dropped to his knees. He reached up slowly for the arrow in his throat, gurgling softly. His thick fingers slipped along the shaft – he appeared to be stroking it. Eventually, he fell forward and became still.

Relief washed through Link, smoothing away the tension in his body. He allowed himself to slump to the ground and he sighed. He felt immediately better.

A soft thump brought his head back up and he saw Sheik walking toward him. The Sheikah spoke, "You tried an interesting tactic. Somehow you've learned how to use Farore's Wind to turn yourself invisible. Most do not have the strength to cast it, let alone maintain it, thus it is not a common art. How did you come to wield it?"

Link attempted to push himself off the ground, but his arms shook. After he collapsed with a grunt, he answered, "The Great Fairy taught me."

"A Great Fairy?" Sheik's voice came out breathless. "Then they exist?"

"They've hidden themselves away to prevent the misuse of their power," Navi explained, attempting to help Link up by his collar.

"Yet, it seems they've deemed you worthy to wield it," said Sheik. He walked over and offered his hand to Link.

"Thanks," said Link, accepting the hand. With the Sheikah's help, he climbed to his feet, swaying slightly.

"Are you all right?" Sheik asked him in concern. He glanced to the side and spotted the hookshot embedded in the hedges, which he pulled out and passed to the Kokiri.

"I'll be fine," Link assured him as he accepted the device. He wasn't aware of how pale his face was.

Sheik swept his hand upward, toward the steps. "The first of the portals to the Sacred Realm, the Forest Temple, is just ahead. If you are able, will you join me?"

The Kokiri still felt unsteady on his feet, but he nodded and said, "Let's go." Navi held his collar as he walked to help him stay upright. Sheik hesitated for a moment, possibly with the thought of lending his hand to Link as well, but soon fell in step beside him.

At the top, Link came to a stop and looked around. He was unprepared for the tide of emotions that hit him like a fist to his stomach. This was Saria's Secret Spot, which he had tried to find for years before he finally succeeded, seven years ago. He had danced with Saria here… playing her song, which she had written for _him…_ It had been one of the happiest days of his life after setting off for his quest.

Now it felt empty. When he was here last, the air had been crowded with fairies; but now not a single one was in sight, save for Navi. Anai appeared to have vanished. The grove was deathly still, an empty echo of what had once been music and laughter.

And the ruins. Link hadn't given it much thought when he had been here seven years ago. It had been so overgrown with greenery, it had seemed a part of the forest. Now the vines that wrapped around the ruins were like dark veins against pale skin, giving it a sickly feel – an old man fast approaching death.

Sheik spoke in his usual soft voice, "Once, this was a hallowed place, where one could find peace and tranquility, to quiet his soul and listen to the voices of the forest… for is there greater wisdom to be had from anyone else? The trees here are ancient, having witnessed many centuries. Kingdoms rose and fell in their times and yet they still stand now, ripe with wisdom of the ages.

"But perhaps the greatest wisdom they share with us is the value of harmony. In this vast system that is the forest, everything depends on each other – not to survive, but to flourish. The animals here depend on the trees to shelter them and to provide them with the food they need, but the trees also depend on the animals to spread their seeds. Without the one, the other could not survive. But together they create even more than either of them need. That is the way of the forest.

"But there is a force that threatens to destroy it all. Once, there was a Sage who served to protect it. But without its guardian, the forest – all living things that form this beautiful system – will dwindle and eventually perish. The forest needs a new Sage. She must be awakened to fulfill her destiny… and that task falls to you." Sheik gazed solemnly at Link.

He said, "You told me you would teach me how to do it."

The masked Sheikah nodded. "If you are prepared to do it, then I will teach you. To awaken the Sage, you must play this song for her…" From his back, he pulled out a lyre. He strummed a chord and then spoke, "This is the Minuet of Forest. Please listen carefully," and then began to play.

What came from Sheik's instrument surprised Link. The notes spoke to him of a dance performed with brisk steps and sweeping motions. As he listened, he could almost see fairies and Kokiri alike bowing to each other, taking each other's hands, and circling each other. When Sheik finished, Link took up his ocarina and began to play uncertainly.

Sheik patiently guided him through the song. Eventually, Link was able to play the notes with ease and the sounds of the strings and the ocarina blended into harmony until at last, with a flurry of strings, Sheik ended the song with a bow.

"Well done," he said, putting the lyre away behind his back. "With this song, you should be able to awaken the Sage to her duty and gain an ally in your quest to overthrow the King of Evil."

Link said, "Thank you for teaching me." He gave the Sheikah a bow.

Sheik returned the bow. Then he spoke again, "When you have finished your task here, come meet me at the Temple of Time. I will give you the location of another Sage there." Then he threw down a Deku nut that exploded into a blinding flash. When Link's eyes adjusted, Sheik was gone.

Navi rubbed her eyes. She murmured, "Was that really necessary? I know Impa told us to trust him, but all these tricks and concealment makes me think it's him who doesn't trust us."

Her Kokiri shrugged in response and then turned to the ruins. He spotted the entrance high off the ground. A set of steps once led up to it, but half of it had crumbled away, making it unreachable now, at least by the usual way. Growing beside it was a skeletal tree whose branches hung over the entrance. He didn't want to attempt to climb it, its bare trunk prickly with splinters but he had a device that could help him climb up there. His only concern was would it hold his weight.

He gave it a shot. The hook plunged into the dry wood with a hollow thunk. He gave it a tug and found it secure, so with a bracing breath, he released the trigger.

It was an experience unlike any Link had had before. The hookshot yanked him off his feet, almost ripping his arms out, and he rushed through the air, which stung him all over like tiny needles, particularly in the eyes. He felt like an arrow as he flew up the broken steps and crashed into the branch, which cracked on impact. He fell to the ground with a grunt, the hookshot clattering next to him.

His fairy flew up next to him. "Perhaps, with a little practice…" Navi began, trying not to smile.

"Sure," said Link a little crossly as he grabbed the hookshot and got to his feet. "But no time for that now. Saria's in there. She and the Sage."

This sobered Navi effectively. She nodded. "Then we'd better hurry."

They both gazed into the temple entrance, veiled by a dark shadow. After a moment's hesitation, the two of them entered the temple.


	9. The Poe Sisters

**Chapter 9: The Poe Sisters**

It felt very much like walking through a dream. The corridor stretched before him, thick, gnarled vines forcing their way through the stone walls and creating deep pockets of darkness where sinister creatures could hide. As his fairy's light passed over them, shadows darted to and fro, looming before him and then slipping around to his back where he could almost feel their icy fingers slithering over his shoulders. He shuddered. His fairy noticed his reaction and she said in a low voice, "You feel it, too, don't you? A presence that shouldn't be here."

"I thought Sheik said this was a sacred place, so why does it feel so... evil?"

"That is the nature of corruption. Once it has taken root, it will spread, destroying everything in its path until nothing remains... unless someone stops it."

"Like me," said Link grimly.

Navi paused and glanced down at him thoughtfully. "Yes, Link. Like you."

They came to the end of the tunnel, which opened into a large chamber. Three doors were mostly hidden by a tangle of vines on each of the walls, but it was the center of the room where Link was drawn. A tall open box large enough for a man to stand inside, surrounded by four torches, each of which burned a different colored flame - it beckoned Link, almost pulled him like an invisible hand. He was running toward it, his heart beating faster as he sensed he was drawing closer to something precious to him - some _one_ precious to him... Saria.

His fairy called in alarm, "Link!"

He was nearly there. His feet were on the steps leading up to the platform.

Then shrieks of laughter burst all around him, freezing him in place. It echoed as though it came from someplace deep and dark that he might fall into if he took a false step.

Then, with a swoosh, four Poes appeared. Link realized immediately that these weren't ordinary Poes. These were larger, with red eyes that glimmered with cold intelligence. And he had seen them before... in a book, it's illustrations brought to life with his own blood...

The four Poe Sisters.

The closest Sister swung her lantern. "Well, well, well. What have we here? A hero of tremendous courage to set this temple right? Or a fool seeking death?" She cackled.

"Perhaps he is lost," said another Sister, drifting closer to Link and leering at him. Her stringy hair brushed his face and he shuddered.

Navi darted between them and flashed red. "You keep away from my Kokiri!"

The Poe Sister reeled backwards. She squealed in a mocking voice, "Oooh! She's a bossy one! I wonder what she would sound like if I squashed her between my fingers?" She reached out her bony claws.

With a ring of metal, the Master Sword flashed into Link's hand, and he thrust it at the Poe. "Don't you dare touch her!"

As one, the Sisters hissed and recoiled in horror. "Be careful," said the tallest Poe in a husky voice. She sounded to be the oldest among them. "He has the Blade of Evil's Bane!"

"Yeah, that's right," snarled Link. "And if you touch one hair on her head, I will take this sword and slice you all into little pieces!"

"Bah!" spat the oldest and the others hissed in agreement.

Link twitched his sword in a dismissive gesture. "Now get out of here. You don't belong."

The Poe who had spoken first spat at him, "You think you can tell us what to do? You have gall, child!"

"We are the Shades of Kakariko," said the second. "Mages of the first class, world-renowned for our skills in shadowtaming. All feared our names and trembled in our presence! You would be wise to do the same!"

Link scoffed, "You don't scare me."

The Poe Sister bristled, raising her lantern as though to bring it down on Link's head, but she was stopped by the eldest, who spoke, "Temper your pride, Joelle. His words are fueled by anger... and a deep fear..." There was a note of satisfaction in her voice that stoked the Kokiri's anger. She crossed an arm in front of her and leaned forward. "There is someone here that you seek... isn't that right, child?"

Link repressed the thrill of fear in him. He did not want to show it to these demons. He asked in a level voice, "What do you know?"

The eldest cackled and was echoed by her sisters. She answered, "She is a very dear friend of yours. She found her way here, only to be trapped by the monsters. And you intend to rescue her."

A cascade of ice washed over Link. The Poe's voice was mocking, hinting that his endeavor was futile... that it was already too late... that she was gone and he would never see her again.

Navi sensed his despair and she nudged him. "Don't let them get to you, Link. Don't lose hope. Don't give up."

Link glanced at her and smiled gratefully. Then the eldest Poe spoke, "She is right. It is not too late... not yet. Your friend is down there." She pointed a long, bony finger at the open box. "Just step inside there and it will take you to where she awaits."

Link watched her suspiciously. After a moment, she withdrew her finger and drifted toward one of the torches in the corner of the platform. The flickering flames highlighted her ragged form in purple light. She curled a bony hand around the torch as though she meant to clutch it to her bosom.

"It is not too late," she repeated in a soft voice. Her hand shook and then in a vicious gesture, she swiped her lantern through the flame. The torch went out as its fire was siphoned into the Poe's lantern. She slammed the window shut and then lifted it to show the flame writhing inside its grimy glass prison.

She cackled, "But it soon will be!"

Link's heart thudded with panic. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he was aware that his chance to rescue Saria was quickly slipping away. He swiveled uncertainly as the other Poe Sisters joined in their sister's mad cackling and swooped toward the remaining torches. They too swiped their lanterns through the flames and slammed their windows shut, trapping the flames inside.

Then there was a clunk and the box began to sink into the ground.

"No!" Link ran to catch it, but even as he reached for it, it dropped shut.

He was too late. The box was in the ground now. The way to Saria was closed. Without the flames in the torches, he couldn't activate the box to reach her. She was trapped down there while he was up here, just out of reach.

He was too late.

The Poe Sisters shrieked with laughter and then they swooped in all directions, plunging through the vine-covered doors and vanishing from sight. Rage flared up inside Link and he rose to his feet with a roar. He slashed his sword angrily through the air. "I'm coming for you!"

"Catch us if you can, child!" the Sisters taunted, their voices echoing from everywhere at once.

Snarling, Link ran for the nearest plant-covered door. He took the withered vines in both hands and ripped them away in great chunks, his strength fueled by rage.

Navi gasped. "Link, wait!"

He paused and glanced over to her. She pointed at the vines. "What is that?"

Link didn't see it at first, given it shared the appearance of the ivy, but after a closer look, he realized there was an archer's bow tangled inside.

He blinked. "How did it get in there?"

Navi shook her head. "I don't know, but I wonder: is it salvageable?"

Taking his fairy's advice to remove it carefully, he pried it from the dried ivy. After cleaning off the bits that still clung to it, he lifted it into the air to appraise it.

In appearance, it was constructed simply, from oak. He tested the bowstring and found it was springy as if it had been strung recently. While he didn't know very much about bows, he found it strange that this one seemed to be in such good condition when the vines it had been tangled in suggested it had been there for a while.

"There's a quiver in there, too!" Navi exclaimed in wonderment, craning her neck between the vines.

Which only added to the mystery since, as Link discovered when he pulled it out, the quiver and the arrows it held were also in excellent condition. He didn't waste time mulling over it, though. His friend was in trouble and the Poe Sisters had the keys he needed to reach her. So after strapping the bow and quiver to his back, he ripped off the vines impeding him from the door and then opened the door and crossed through.

It opened into an overgrown garden on a tiered balcony. Between the reedy-looking weeds, Link could see the bricks that formed the circular tiers, the highest beginning in the center and stepping down in the outer direction. The outermost ring was bordered by trellises draped with hideously overlarge leaves. Beyond that were the tops of the trees, an ocean of dark teeth where any foolish enough to fall in would be swallowed and lost forever.

Link's attention was drawn to the center tier, which was occupied by an enormous plant with four bulbous, blue buds. He approached cautiously until a shriek of laughter erupted around him.

"What a beautiful blossom, don't you think?" spoke the Poe Sister, whom Link could not see. "Very rare, though. And difficult to grow. But the results are very worth the effort."

He drew out his sword and yelled, "Show yourself!"

The Poe laughed mockingly. "Whilst you have that awful blade drawn? You presume too much! But back to our topic. This flower. Do you recognize it?"

Link studied it for a moment. Noting the bulbous buds, he offered, "Deku Baba," but Navi gave a startled gasp, "Manhandla!"

"Ooh! You _do_ recognize it! Yes, a manhandla! A very aggressive species once it matures, and very hungry. It needs constant nourishment to stay alive. Fortunately, it's not picky about what it eats - plants, animals, meddlesome heroes..."

Even as she spoke, the plant came to life, the four buds splitting open into mouths with long, slimy tongues lashing at the air. One of the tongues shot toward Link without warning. He only barely managed to sidestep it and draw up his sword beneath it, chopping it in two. The severed tongue plopped to the ground with a sticky splat while the other half slurped back into the mouth.

"Oho, so you intend to fight my pretty blossom?" the invisible Poe cackled. "Well, it matters not to me. I shall enjoy a good show, at least." Her demonic laugh sent tremors through the air, jangling every nerve in Link's body. The manhandla's four heads reared up and their tongues wriggled in noisy slurps, adding to the cacophony. He brought out his shield and readied his sword to strike if the tongues came his way again.

The parasitic plant struck immediately. The closest head shot its tongue straight for him - the one he had chopped before. He brought up his shield to block it just in time, but it hit hard, sending him staggering back into the door. He fell against it awkwardly, his back low on the door while his legs were extended, which lowered his center of balance, making it difficult to get back up. While he struggled, the tongue drew back and then surged forward again in a sweeping motion. Knowing he wouldn't get up in time, Link rolled himself sideways and collapsed to the ground before the tongue whipped past just above him. He placed his hands against the ground to jump back to his feet but then he felt the tongue wrap around his ankle and it started dragging him backward.

"No!" Navi cried. The Poe laughed shrilly.

Link twisted around and attempted to use the Master Sword to cut off the tongue, but with it dragging him, he couldn't get himself upright to reach it. The manhandla's mouth was approaching fast and it would soon swallow him if he didn't do something now. Dropping his sword, he grabbed the bomb bag and fumbled for its mouth before he plunged his hand inside and pulled out a bomb. He twisted sideways for a better angle at the manhandla's mouth, then plucked the stem from the bomb and hurled it inside.

The plant convulsed and stopped dragging Link. Then with a squelch the head exploded, coating the Kokiri and everywhere else in foul-smelling pulp. The tongue was still attached to Link, which he quickly ripped off after scooting away from the manhandla, picking up the Master Sword again on the way.

The carnivorous plant snapped its remaining three heads angrily and the Poe shrieked, "How could you?! My precious, little flower! You will be punished for this offense, oh yes you will!"

Two more tongues shot out of the mouths on either side of the manhandla and came swooping for him. He chopped a piece off the first one while the second wrapped around his neck and squeezed, choking him. He started to swing his sword up, but the first tongue wrapped around his wrist and pulled taut, preventing him from bringing it up.

Lights started to pop in his vision. Desperately, he twisted his body in an attempt to break the manhandla's hold on him. He bashed the edge of his shield on the tongue wrapped around his neck but it wasn't doing much good except yanking him forward. He leaned back, slipped and fell on his back, which exploded with pain. He would have screamed if he could, but his throat was closed too tightly, giving the air nowhere to go. Darkness began creeping in the edges of his vision.

Navi saw Link's struggle against the four-headed plant was weakening. The manhandla was suffocating him and he would soon be dead if something wasn't done quickly. She needed to force the manhandla to let go of him somehow.

She scanned the monster for any sign of a weakness. Following one of the tongues to its mouth, she realized what she must do. It was terribly dangerous but it was Link's best chance for escape.

She flew close to the manhandla, dodging around its writhing tongue. Then, taking a deep breath, she shot straight into its mouth, hitting the back of its throat.

Its head convulsed. The tongue shrank reflexively, slipping a little off of Link's neck, just enough for him to gasp for air. Pain flared through his ribcage and back, and his head swam, leaving him disoriented, yet he managed to swing his right arm up and grip the tongue around his neck to keep it from tightening again. With his shield still attached to his arm, he used it to lever the tongue down, loosening its hold around his throat. His left arm was still gripped by the other tongue, so he twisted his body to give his right arm more leverage to force the edge of his shield against the tongue, pressing it to the ground. Like a dull knife, it gradually cut its way through the tough muscle.

...

Unbeknownst to him, his fairy had gotten herself stuck on that same tongue. When she had hit the back of the manhandla's throat, she had gone in feet first with the intent of striking hard and then rebounding straight back out. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way. She was unable to control her flight backwards and wound up crashing onto the monster's tongue. Besides the mucus, the tongue was also covered in tiny barbs that hooked into its prey, enabling it to hold on to it until it was retracted into its acid-filled stomach where the hapless meal would be digested. Those barbs punctured the thin membrane of her wings and hooked around the veins, trapping her. While it was uncomfortable having barbs punched through her wings, she relished even less the prospect of being swallowed and digested. She needed to escape and quickly.

She attempted to roll over to her side only to be stopped by her trapped wings. She grimaced as she strained against the barbs, which tore her wings. She managed to free one when the tongue shuddered, dropping her onto her side. As she pushed herself back up, it shuddered again, throwing her back down. With the tongue as slippery as it was, she couldn't keep her footing. Had she doomed herself to be the manhandla's meal? She didn't' even know if she had managed to free Link or not. For all she knew, he was dead, the life choked out of him, his body being dragged toward the manhandla's mouth to be swallowed and digested, and she would be a pile of tiny bones beside him.

She gritted her teeth. No! She was not going to be digested by this abomination! And she certainly wasn't going to stand by and let it eat her Kokiri either! The Great Deku Tree had entrusted her with this boy - to guide and protect him - to help him fulfill his destiny and save Hyrule! She was going to be as brave as Link and fight!

With a roar, she ripped herself free from the tongue's cruel barbs and rolled onto her knees. Her chest heaving from the effort, she looked up and saw the opening of the manhandla's mouth. She gritted her teeth and began to crawl, planting her hands firmly in the barbs while ripping her knees from their grip and then planting them firmly in the barbs while ripping her hands free. Her progress was shaky on the slippery surface but she pressed doggedly on.

After what seemed like an eternity, she was at the mouth. Escape was so close! Her limbs were exhausted and her body shook with pain but she couldn't afford to rest now - not with freedom within reach!

She stretched an aching limb forward...

...

Link was shaking from exhaustion as he wrestled with the tongues, one wrapped around his sword arm and the other halfway around his throat. He pressed all his weight onto his shield, which he was using as a makeshift knife to cut the tongue around his throat.

He suddenly heard a hiss of displeasure, "This shouldn't be! You should already be dead! How are you fighting this? How are you able to stand against my blossom?"

Link ignored the voice. His shield had cut through most of the tongue, but there was still some sinew holding it together and the ground was too soft to press against it. With a grunt of effort, he chopped at it several times until it finally severed with a dry snap.

The chopped tongue retracted and its head hissed angrily. Link ripped the other half from his throat and threw it to the ground. Then he slipped his arm out of his shield, reached over for the Master Sword, and drew it up from beneath the other tongue around his wrist, cutting himself free.

"CURSE YOU!" shrieked the invisible Poe. "Stop fighting! Accept your fate! My precious is hungry and you're upsetting it!"

Link picked up his shield and roared, "Come out and face me, you coward!" He searched the balcony for any sign of the mage.

The manhandla shuddered and then reared up. From the ground, claw-like appendages emerged and planted themselves firmly upon the soil, hoisting the monster up. These claws scuttled as the manhandla spun around to face Link with its three remaining heads.

Fear caught in Link's throat. This thing could _move_! He raised his shield and sword, and quickly scanned the balcony for escape routes. He needed to keep his distance from the carnivorous plant.

It scuttled toward him. The closest head drew back and then coughed, expelling a ball of orange gunk. Link dodged to the side just before the projectile splatted against the door, covering it almost entirely. The Kokiri circled around the manhandla to keep from being cornered. As large as the monster was, it was quick on its feet, immediately veering toward him while spinning at the same time to face him with its heads. It coughed up another ball of gunk that almost struck Link before he dodged it. He scooted backwards, slipping behind the trellises.

The manhandla shot out a tongue and grabbed the trellis. With two tugs, it tore down a section, exposing Link. He had a bow in his hand with an arrow drawn. As the tongue unlatched itself from the torn trellis, he released the arrow, which sliced it in half and then plunged into the top half of the monster's mouth.

"You hateful boy!" hissed the Poe as the manhandla scuttled forward with dry hisses of pain and anger. "You wicked, terrible boy! Causing me and my precious so much pain! You will get what's coming to you!"

"Then come out and face me yourself, you coward!" Link yelled, nocking another arrow. He planted it close to the first, causing the monster to rear.

"Stop it, you monster!" shrieked the hidden Poe.

Link fired another arrow into the head on the right. The manhandla staggered.

"Enough!"

Another arrow embedded itself into the head on the left.

The Poe's shrill voice swelled into an ear-splitting crescendo that echoed into the forest beyond the balcony, "I WILL TEACH YOU!"

"Behind you, Link!"

Link spun around to find what looked like a ragged guay shooting straight for him. He ducked to the side, hearing a whoosh as it streaked past him and then a crash and a clatter of wood pieces striking the ground. He straightened to face the attacker, who spun around at the same time he did. Her glowing red eyes flickered like angry flames.

"I WILL KILL YOU!" she shrieked, swiping her grimy black lantern through the air in an agitated gesture.

Link dropped his bow and then drew his shield and the Master Sword. "Let's see you try."

"Watch out!"

Link noticed just in time the ball of orange gunk flying his way. He lifted his shield and then grunted in surprise when it knocked him backwards onto the ground, sending him sliding off the edge. Panicked, he dropped the sword and grabbed the edge just before he completely slid off. His body swung down, yanking his arm with a crack that sent pain shooting down his entire left side.

Above him, the Poe cackled triumphantly. "Well, well, well. Aren't _we_ in a predicament? Still confident you can defeat me?" She swung down her lantern at his head.

He deflected it with a swing of his shield. The Poe staggered back and then sniffed petulantly. "Hmph! You have some fight in you yet. But not for much longer. You will fall sooner or later." She lifted her lantern for another attack.

Then several things happened in quick succession. The glass of the Poe's lantern shattered, she gave a horrified gasp and then screamed as the ruby flames that had been trapped inside coiled around her skeletal arm like an angry dragon. It washed over her ragged form with a growl and a hiss. The Poe swatted at it desperately and then threw up her hands with an unearthly wail that chilled the very core of Link's bones.

Then her form dissolved into purple mist that slipped out of grasp of the ruby flames. It made a loud whooshing noise as it slithered out of the flames with a quickness like it was being slurped up by some monster. When the last trace of purple mist escaped, the ruby fire dropped to the ground and shrank into a small ball of flames - becoming more placid now that the threat was gone. Link had the impression of a dog wagging its tail and waiting to be praised by its master.

A little bemused by the unexpected turn of events, Link climbed back onto the balcony and got to his feet. He glanced over at the manhandla and was surprised to discover it motionless, its heads drooping. It was either asleep or dead though how this had happened, he couldn't fathom.

Then a voice got his attention. "Link!" He looked down, becoming confused for a moment, and then he spotted Navi waving at him from the ground. He kneeled down to her and then gasped aloud when he saw the state she was in.

"What happened?" he exclaimed in shock.

She did not look good. She was covered in scrapes and bruises, her hair in a sticky disarray and her dress torn. But worst of all were her wings. They were bloody and tattered, barely there at all. It wasn't any wonder she was waving to him from the ground. She couldn't fly.

"That monster got me," Navi explained. She sounded exhausted and faint. "I only managed to escape before I was swallowed. But never mind me. Are you all right?"

Link scooped her up. "Better than you. Maybe we should take you back to Kakariko Village - see if Impa can fix you up..."

"Not now, Link," Navi admonished, the strength in her voice returned. "First you must rescue Saria and awaken the Sage here. We don't have time to waste."

Her Kokiri protested, "But you're hurt! And if you can't fly then how will I keep you safe?"

"I will be fine," his fairy insisted. "I will remain on your shoulder, and so long as _you_ remain safe, I will be safe."

"But..."

"Enough, Link! Your friend is in trouble. We cannot delay her rescue any longer than necessary. Now come! The other Sisters are still hiding, the flames they stole waiting."

Link realized there was no use arguing with Navi. In a way, it made him worry even more for her. This was why she was so special to him. She cared more for him than for herself. He didn't want anything else to happen to her, but she was right. Saria still needed him. And to reach her, he needed to find the Poes and return the flames to their torches.

He looked down at the ruby flames flickering at his feet. He wondered how to carry it back and he recalled how the Sisters had scooped them into their lanterns. He had a few bottles. Could he carry it in one of those?

Pulling one out, he crouched in front of the flame and gently scooped it inside. The flame went in easily as though it was eager to help, flowing straight into the mouth and coiling around the inside of the bottle. Link hesitated before stoppering the bottle, wondering if the flame needed oxygen to breathe. It seemed all right, flickering gently behind the glass.

Satisfied that the flame was secure, Link turned to the door back into the temple. Standing between him and the door was the manhandla. Its three heads were slumped to the floor, their tongues draped across the ground. There were several arrows in all of its heads though he doubted they had affected it much. While it appeared to be dead, Link still moved forward cautiously, well aware that it may be a trick.

"What do you suppose happened to it?" Navi asked him.

Link didn't answer. He edged around the monster, keeping his eyes sharp for any sign of movement. He circled around to its back end where he had destroyed the first head and still it showed no sign of life. He pressed his back against the door.

"Perhaps," his fairy mused, startling him, "its life force was connected to that Sister's, and when she was destroyed, it was destroyed as well."

Perhaps, though Link still felt it was some sort of trick, and when he turned to open the door, he felt a flash of vulnerability, fully expecting the manhandla to strike him on his exposed backside. Nothing happened though and the door closed, cutting off the carnivorous plant behind him. He heaved out an enormous sigh of relief.

He took a moment to collect himself, bracing for the next challenge ahead. Directly across the room was the next door behind which a Poe Sister hid. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he started toward it.

He cried aloud in surprise and fell to the ground on his side when something exploded from his pack. Ruby red flames burst from his side, condensing into a rope-like shape before it sliced through the air and dove into one of the four torches surrounding the sunken box. The torch burst to life and there the ruby flames crackled contentedly, back where it was supposed to be.

"Are you all right?" Navi asked, a little breathless from the scare and Link's tumble.

Link hesitated for a moment before he answered, "Yeah." He climbed carefully to his feet. "It's just... I wasn't expecting that... the fire to..." He cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Well, anyways, we've got three more flames to rescue." He turned and crossed the room toward the next door. He paused before it, frowning at the doorknob.

"Be ready," Navi warned him. "The next Poe Sister is likely behind here. Who knows what sort of trap she has ready to spring on you?"

Link nodded. Then with a firm twist he opened the door and leaped inside.

He found himself looking down an aisle of grass lined by tall elm trees. Link thought it might have been pretty once before, but the grass was brown and brittle, and the trees were all bare of leaves, their branches like skeletal fingers beckoning to the sun for much-needed nourishment.

And standing between each tree were the incarnations of death themselves. Skeletal creatures wearing cracked breastplates, rusted helmets, and ripped boots, and wielding blood-stained swords and moss-covered shields.

"Stalfos!" Navi gasped.

They stood as soldiers, their swords held before their faces, awaiting command. They were completely motionless yet Link could feel the tension in the air like a band ready to snap. One false step and they would be upon him within moments.

Then the omnipresent voice of a Poe Sister spoke, "So you have come for me, young swordsman? How fortuitous."

Link growled, "Are you going to show your face? Or are you as cowardly as your sister?"

"You hope to provoke me into showing myself to you? Such a crude tactic and an insult to my intelligence."

"You just don't want to admit you're scared of me!" Link yelled. "That's why you hide!"

The Poe's voice echoed coldly, "I hide as a precaution. I would rather you didn't run me through before I offer my proposal."

Link eyed the Stalfos, watching for any sign of movement from them. Navi spoke up, "What are you talking about?"

"You want your friend, yes?"

Link wasn't in the mood for games. He yelled, "If you hurt one hair on her head, I swear I will..."

" _Silence, boy!"_ the Poe's voice hissed with cold fury. "I am offering you a chance to rescue her."

Link was not going to be told what to do by a cowardly specter. "And what do you want in exchange? My soul?"

" _I SAID, SILENCE!"_ shrieked the Poe. The Stalfos rattled in response, a shudder as in the passing of a cold breeze, at the same time Link lifted his shield and readied his sword to engage the army of skeletal creatures, only to find none of them had made a move toward him.

"Listen closely, boy," whispered the Poe, "I am not your enemy - I do not need to be, anyway. I am not a petty, sycophantic fool as my sisters are. I am willing to help you in exchange for your cooperation."

So gradually he didn't realize it, he relaxed his guard. He asked, "What exactly do you want?"

"Allow me to explain. Once my sisters and I were powerful shadow mages, sworn to the Royal Family of Hyrule. It was our duty to aid Hyrule in its time of need, to protect it from those who would threaten its peace and prosperity. That was our role.

"But as servants of Hyrule and its Royal Family, we were not as... dutiful as they would have liked us to be. Indeed, our efforts were focused more on acquiring more power through experiments that many considered... unseemly.

"It was one such experiment that led to our banishment. But as unrepentant as we were, we only continued our dark pursuit until at last it all caught up to us and we met with our current demise."

The Stalfos shuddered again as though in sympathy for their master. Still not completely willing to trust the Poe, Link asked, "So what do you want from me?"

"What I am trying to tell you," said the Poe with thinly veiled impatience, "is that I am a researcher. While my sisters sought power and glory, my only interest has always been unraveling the mysteries of our world. You hold in your hand one such mystery: the Master Sword. Where did it come from? Who was its forger? What powers does it contain?

"And perhaps most intriguingly," continued the Poe, "how does it choose its master? What enables him to wield it safely when others are driven insane?"

"You want my sword?" In spite of himself, Link's gaze turned to the blade in his hand, his curiosity aroused. Could this cursed spirit really help him discover the truth about this weapon?

Navi pointed out, "But none other than the Chosen Hero can touch the Master Sword. How can you study something you cannot touch?"

"Are you truly so ignorant? Then I will speak as plainly as possible. In exchange for my aid in freeing your friend, I wish for you to aid me in my study of the Master Sword. I want the sword and you."

A chill rolled through Link. Give himself and the Master Sword to the Poe? How long exactly did she want to "study" this sword? It sounded risky to him. He had a destiny to fulfill, which would be hard to do if he became a servant of this malevolent spirit. He didn't like this proposition. There was no guarantee that Saria would be safe even if she kept her promise and helped rescue her.

It was decided. Swinging his sword down in emphasis, he answered, "No, thank you. I'll just take that flame you stole."

Like a rush of freezing wind, the Poe's voice surrounded him, " _You, fool! Do you really think you can defeat all four of us?"_ The Stalfos juddered and then swung down their swords and turned to face Link. " _I will still have that blade. I would have preferred your cooperation but turning you into a Stalfo will do just as well."_

They came rushing at him, joining into two rows like an army formation, their swords raised menacingly. Under the influence of their master, the Stalfos worked in concert, their movements perfectly synchronized - ten perfect reflections of each other.

"Don't let them reach you, Link!" Navi warned. "If they do, you'll be dead before you can destroy even one of them!"

He sheathed his sword and, in one continuous move, swung up his bow, nocked an arrow, and fired. He fired several more but it became increasingly apparent that the arrows weren't very effective for while they did knock the Stalfos down, their comrades immediately pulled them back to their feet and they continued their march.

" _Is that the best you can do?_ " hissed the Poe, a hint of satisfaction in her cold voice. " _Could it be possible that the Master Sword has lost its power to allow someone as pathetic as you to wield it?_ "

"Why don't you come out and find out for yourself?" Link yelled. The words nettled him for he couldn't help feeling that there was some truth to them.

The Poe sighed. "What an utterly tiresome thing, you are. At least as a Stalfo you'll be silent."

The Stalfos were nearly upon Link. He turned and ran to keep the distance between them, but that's when he heard them break into a run behind him, the sound of ten feet pounding in concert magnified ten times like the deafening roar of a King Dodongo.

"What do I do, Navi?" Link cried as he ran.

"Do you still have bombs?" she asked. She sounded breathless. Bobbing on Link's shoulder was knocking the breath out of her and it was all she could do to hang on.

Link beamed. "That's brilliant, Navi!" He scooped up his bomb bag and looked into it. His face fell and he announced. "I've only got three left."

"Better make them count," Navi remarked.

Link took one out, plucked out the stem and then swung around and pitched it at the unit. As it sailed toward them, their rank split in two, veering away from each other as far from the bomb as they could, but a little too late. The blast knocked them to the ground where two of them became tangled in each other's ribs. The rest, however, seemed unhurt and were back on their feet within moments.

"They're still coming," Navi warned.

Link had seen the way the Stalfos had dodged the bomb just before it exploded. He realized that he would have to time his throw so that it exploded just as it reached them. He took the next bomb out and plucked the stem. It hissed but Link hoped the crunch of the brittle grass and the rattling of the Stalfos would be enough to hide the sound. After silently counting to three, he spun around and hurled the bomb at the group.

As before, the unit split to avoid the bomb, but this time Link's timing paid off. The blast sent them all flying backwards like slingshot pellets. When they crashed to the ground, their bones scattered and tumbled in every direction, their sneering skulls bouncing across the grass. Some of the shields that they had been holding still had skeletal arms strung through them.

Link thrust his fist into the air and cheered, "Woo hoo!" Then the Poe spoke sullenly, "It seems you are cleverer than I had anticipated. I will have to try a different tactic."

A ball of fire suddenly burst to life in the air like a blue sun. For a moment it hovered there and then began spinning like a wheel. A moment later, it broke into ten streams, which shot in every direction. Link instinctively brought up his shield but none of the flames actually struck him. Instead, they crashed into the skulls of the Stalfos that Link had destroyed, enveloping them in blue flames. Was she cleaning up?

It wasn't long before Link discovered the truth. Slowly the burning skulls rose into the air. Then as one they turned to face him. Beneath the flickering blue flames, their eyes burned blood red.

"Bubbles!" Navi hissed. "Steer clear of them! A touch from them means you'll be cursed!"

The Poe spoke in a soft voice, "Hate manifest. Their malice in the form of a burning aura that spells eternal agony for those who touch it. A painful burn that never fades but only grows stronger with time."

Suddenly she shrieked, "KILL HIM!"

Like deadly comets, the Bubbles streaked toward him. Link immediately ran for the door. He didn't want to risk the Bubbles touching him and the only way to escape them was to go through the door and trap them inside.

But as he approached the door, Navi screamed, "Look out, Link!"

From out of the air, a grimy lantern swung at him. He raised his arm to ward the blow. The lantern struck him so hard that he tumbled sideways onto his ribs, knocking the air from his lungs. He gasped for breath and rolled onto his back. He spotted the Poe above him, her red eyes glowing coldly. She spoke, "I have no intention of allowing such a fine subject to escape me."

Link could hear the Bubbles closing in fast. He hadn't caught his breath yet, but if he waited any longer, they would be on him. He reached at his waist for the hookshot and quickly brought it up. He aimed for the lantern and pulled the trigger before the Poe realized what he was doing.

"What...?" Her eyes widened and she attempted to swing her lantern out of the way, but she was too slow. The hookshot smashed straight through the grimy glass, which exploded in a burst of blue flame.

"NOOOOOOO!" the Poe's shriek was like a thousand voices rattling inside a glass prison. The blue flames coalesced into a flickering rope that quickly began winding up the Poe's arm. She frantically shook it to try to rid it of the angry fire, but within seconds she was completely consumed, her shrill voice rising to a pitch. Gradually, her scream petered out though Link could hear a faint echo from some deep abyss.

Then from the blue ball of fire, purple mist seeped out in thin ribbons toward an unseen source. At the same time, the blue fire swirled toward Link. For a moment, he panicked, wondering if it was going to burn him alive. Then he saw the Bubbles swooping toward him, only to be intercepted by the fiery rope and stripped of their burning aura. The skulls dropped to the ground, no longer burning but lifeless. Having done its work, the fiery rope swooped toward Link again and settled on the ground next to him, shrinking until it was small enough to be a torch.

All the tension in Link's body gave way to a sigh of relief. Navi climbed over his shoulder and then sat down with a sigh of her own. She said, "Well done, Link. That's the second Poe defeated."

"And two more to go," Link added.

Navi warned him, "With two of them defeated, the other two will surely be warier and will try everything they can to stop you."

At the moment, had they decided to attack him, Link would have been hard pressed to defend himself, as tired as he was. Yet as the time passed, there was no sign of them and soon Link felt ready to confront the next Sister. He scooped up the blue fire and hurried to the main chamber. He was prepared this time when the blue fire burst from the bottle in his hand and settled into a torch opposite the red flames. He turned and strode over to the final door at the far end of the room. He paused for a moment to collect himself.

"You can do this, Link," Navi reassured him. "I have faith in you."

He nodded. Then he took a deep breath and pushed through the door.

He was outside again, stepping onto a branch wide enough to accommodate a cart. The moment he did, the next Poe Sister burst out, "You've come for me then, little hero? What kept you? Lost your courage? I feared you would try to seek my other sisters first and be slain before I had my chance."

"Your sisters are dead!" Link shouted. "And you will be too unless you release the flame you stole."

"Dead?" the Poe echoed, sounding a little alarmed. "No. Impossible. We cannot be killed." She did not sound convinced.

"They were consumed by the flames that they had imprisoned," Navi explained, "once their lanterns were shattered."

"I don't believe you. You lie! You couldn't possibly have survived their traps. Joelle's manhandle… Beth's Stalfos army… Meg's apparitions…"

Link raised his voice in bravado, "I slayed the manhandle and the Stalfos army _and_ the Bubbles! And whatever you plan to throw at me to fight for you, I will slay it too! And then I will free that flame you have imprisoned and watch you burn!"

" _Never_! You will have to find me first! And I warn you, I have more than an overgrown plant and fallen warriors to kill you with. Look before you!"

Ahead, the path split in two and then split again, branching off in every direction, winding over and under each other in a tangled maze like a giant briar. Wizened limbs reared up here and there along the branch as if there were Stalfos trapped within the bark, clawing for freedom. Link couldn't stop a cold shiver passing through him.

"Hidden in those twisted pathways are the world's foulest abominations. Horrors beyond your gravest nightmares wait to snare you in their clutches. Your worst fear is a child's plaything compared to what you will find in there."

Cold sweat beaded on Link's forehead as he gazed into the shadowy folds of the maze. His worst fears? Could there really be worse than giant Skulltulas in there? Or Redeads?

Navi whispered from his shoulder, "Courage, Link. She is trying to break your spirit. You've conquered many terrible monsters before. Surely, there can't be many worse than those? Remember, our worst fears are in our imagination."

He nodded to show he understood. He stood straighter and declared for the Poe to hear, "Then I will turn fear on them. Today, I shall be _their_ worst fear."

The Poe's voice came out sharp, "Ha! Come then, if you're so brave! Come and show us fear!" She laughed, the shrill pitches throbbing in his bones like dull needles. He gritted his teeth against the pain and tightened his grip on the Master Sword. Before the Poe had even finished, he was striding purposefully toward the twisted paths.

"Careful, Link," Navi cautioned him.

He took the first branch with only a moment's hesitation. But once the shadows slid over him upon entering the maze proper, he became wary, checking his surroundings before he took a step. The path curved and sloped deeper into the darkness while other paths arched over him or twisted away from him. The air here was heavy and unnervingly quiet, putting Link's nerves on edge. Skeletal limbs jutted out before him, which he lopped with the Master Sword, conscious that they might belong to monsters that would jump out in retaliation.

Yet nothing happened as Link traveled deeper inside, choosing which paths to take only after careful consideration. Navi provided a comforting blue glow as it got darker, yet Link could not shake the feeling that something was lurking nearby, waiting to pounce on him when he least expected it.

" _Feeling afraid_?" rasped the Poe's voice in a voice so low it may have been in his head. " _Come deeper… deeper into the shadows… that's where we're waiting…"_

Then he heard it. A scuttling noise like that of a Skulltula only it wasn't quite that. The pattering sounded heavier than a Skulltula's spindly legs could make. It was moving quickly though where it was coming from, he couldn't be sure. With his sword thrust before him, he spun in circles, trying to locate the source of the noise though all he could tell was that it was getting closer, and fast.

Then Navi cried out, "Above you, Link!"

He swung his sword upward and twisted to face the threat. It was already leaping at his face, giving him only a glimpse of a dark blur before it plunged through his sword and slammed on top of him onto the ground. With the sword providing him leverage, he shoved the monster off his face. It thumped onto the branch beside him, and then slid off the sword and tumbled down into the abyss. He only caught a glimpse of multiple legs before it vanished. It didn't look like a Skulltula.

The Poe's voice hissed, " _How disappointing though perhaps I should have expected it if you truly have defeated my sisters. But not to worry. I have more monsters to throw at you. Sooner or later, you will fall."_ She cackled, the enclosed space making her voice seem even closer than usual.

Her cackle was quickly drowned out by the sound of scuttling – a deep rumbling sound that caused the branch beneath him to shudder. Link instinctively knew what it meant. More of those monsters were coming. A lot more.

He wouldn't stand a chance against that many! He leaped to his feet and spun around, searching for someplace to hide. But in the dark, twisted pathways were shadows that were just as likely to hide deadly monsters as to offer him a place to hide. If he could only turn invisible.

He remembered with a jolt of excitement that he _could_ turn invisible! With a hurried whisper, "Hang on, Navi!" he began channeling his inner power as the Great Fairy had taught him. The spindle-legged monsters had just begun to swarm all over the branches surrounding him when he performed the final motion and then suddenly vanished.

" _What?!"_ the Poe shrieked. " _How did he do that? Where did he go? No one told us he could perform sorcery! Search the place! Search everywhere! Find him and tear him limb from limb!"_

Which Link thought was grimly ironic for he could now see what it was that was massed on the branches where he had been just moments before. They appeared to be living hands large enough to crush his head. "Floormasters," as Navi called them had leathery skin with blunt claws at the ends of their fingers gripping the bark. But most disturbing was the bloodshot eye swiveling in each of the fleshy stumps where arms should have been attached. At their mistress's command, they scattered in every direction, their heavy treads causing the branches to shudder. He had escaped them just in the nick of time; after vanishing, he had used the hookshot to pull himself to a different branch. He would have loved to keep the protection that Farore's Wind gave him, yet already he could feel the magic draining him, so reluctantly he blew the spell away. Then, as stealthily as he could, he turned and snuck deeper into the dark maze.

He hoped those giant hands were the worst monsters hidden inside this maze but it wasn't long before he encountered the next "foul abomination" that the Poe spoke of. Treading as softly as he was, he was keenly aware of the wooden thuds of his boots and was thus alerted when the thud became a squelch.

"What?" he murmured and leaned down for a closer look only to be distracted by something cold and slimy hitting the back of his neck. He whirled around in alarm, swinging his sword at the creature that had touched his neck only to find there was nothing there.

"Don't move, Link!" Navi whispered hoarsely.

Obediently, he froze in place. The cold slime oozed down to his back and he couldn't help shuddering both from the chill and from how disgusting it was. "What is it?" he whispered back.

"Above us. Look slowly."

He tried, but his muscles seemed to be locked. It felt like there was a giant knot in the back of his neck. His body shook while the slime inched its way down his back beneath his tunic.

"There is a like-like just above us," Navi whispered in his ear. "I don't think it's noticed us yet, so back away slowly..."

Link had no idea what a like-like was but the fear in his fairy's voice painted a vivid enough picture: something with lots of teeth.

A rope of drool plopped in front of his eyes. On reaction, despite the knot in his neck, he twisted his head up.

His stomach reacted violently and he only just managed to hold it in. Hanging on the branch above him was the like-like. It had the vague likeness of the chrysalises that Link had watched butterflies hatch from when he was younger except the chrysalises had been a beautiful jade green. There was nothing beautiful about the like-like. It was a swollen creature with reddish cloudy fluid swirling beneath its transparent skin, and at its tip, a tiny mouth puckered, flexing as though it was sucking on something. A rope of drool oozed from the mouth and dropped to the branch with a sickening plop.

His stomach heaved again. He squeezed his eyes shut and slowly backed away.

"Careful, Link!" his fairy whispered. "There are more of them further in."

Link opened his eyes and turned. Now that his eyes had adjusted to the gloom, he could make out the pale blobs that were the like-likes clustered on the twisting branches surrounding him, like festering fruit. He squeezed his eyes shut again and took steadying breaths to calm his roiling stomach.

Then his blood froze when the Poe's pervasive laugh erupted around him. "Oho, so you thought you could hide from me? So sorry, my clever little hero, but your magic tricks won't save you this time."

He heard a growing noise, of sticky bodies stirring. Fearing the worst, he opened his eyes to see the like-likes moving, craning back and forth in search of prey, their tiny mouths stretching to become cavernous holes large enough to swallow a man whole. They began slipping along the branches toward him, leaving a trail of slime in their wake.

"My floormasters are on their way," hissed the Poe. "There's nowhere for you to run."

"We'll see about that!" Link declared and began the dance that summoned Farore's Wind.

A like-like dropped to the branch in front of him, breaking his concentration for a moment before he cleaved it in half. It came apart very reluctantly, its slime squelching in protest, with many strands futilely attempting to hold it together. Again, Link's stomach lurched with disgust, spotting the slime streaked on his blade, but he didn't have time to fuss about it, so he sheathed his sword and started the dance again. But before he had completed the first motion, he heard Navi gasp and then his vision erupted with bright red flashes of pain as something hard with sharp edges smashed into his head, knocking him to the ground.

"Not this time!" crowed the Poe, her lantern rattling with her exuberance. Its jagged frame glistened with his blood. "You won't be using your tricks again to escape me! I want to watch my floormasters tear you apart!"

The rumbling was getting louder. The branch - as thick as it was - shuddered beneath the advance of the horde, its leaves breaking off and spiraling around Link in a confused dance as though they didn't know which direction to flee. Link felt the urgency, the twisting in his gut, the insistent voice telling him, "Get up! Get up!" but his mind was still reeling and every time he tried to push himself up, he lurched onto his shoulder as though all of his weight had been transferred there. Somewhere near his shoulder he heard Navi's voice wavering pitifully, "Oh no. Link, get up. Please, you must get up..."

Above him, the Poe shrieked with laughter, "They're coming! My pretty little floormasters are coming to rip you to shreds! Are you scared, little hero? There's no shame in admitting..."

Then glass shattered, showering onto the back of Link's head, and the Poe shrieked in a bone-rattling keen.

"How did you... ACK! NO! NOOOOOOOOO!"

Link was too weak to lift his head but he knew that somehow the flame had broken free of its vile prison and was now consuming the Poe in a wreath of green flames, crackling angrily in its fervor.

Then something slid over his foot, heavy and wet, like a blanket that had been fished out of a brackish pond. It wrapped around his thigh and started tugging him backwards. He scrabbled for purchase on the bark but it merely tore away beneath his fingers as the thing slowly pulled him in a suffocating embrace.

"HELP!" Navi screamed.

With a crackle, the green flames that had consumed its captor swooped down and assaulted the like-like swallowing Link. The fleshy creature writhed under the punishing heat, its cry a deep, throaty "ooh!" An acrid smell rolled off its body in tendrils of dirty smoke. Its gelatinous flesh bubbled, turning ash white. In an attempt to escape, it slid away, dumping Link on the branch. The Kokiri might have been relieved if the branch had not been rumbling beneath the surge of the floormasters, which had just arrived.

Hundreds of the hand-like monsters swarmed on the branches, flowing toward him in a gruesome wave. Link didn't have the strength to stand, let alone fight off the floormasters. Despair filled him, his spirit sinking into a deep black canyon as his demise loomed. He had failed. Hyrule's hope was dead.

A roar of flames startled him into looking up. A rope of emerald fire flashed overhead and crashed to the branch in front of him, creating a barrier between him and the floormasters. The wizened monsters, their bloodshot eyes intent on the fallen boy, threw themselves directly into the fire only to be instantly incinerated, their ashes swirling into the air to form a noxious cloud. Even as they did, the fire spread itself on the branch, sending two arms on either side of Link before coming together behind him, encircling him completely in a protective wall of emerald flames. Link gave a sob of relief.

Behind the safety of the flames, Link gradually recuperated. Seemingly the fire itself was banishing the nausea from him and gradually replacing it with a warm strength. As his senses returned to him, he realized that while he was safe inside the circle, sooner or later he would have to leave. He had to reach Saria before it was too late, but if he stepped outside the protective circle of flames, the floormasters would be on him in an instant.

"What do we do?" he asked Navi.

She did not answer immediately. She cast her gaze about as she considered their options. At last, she said, "We're completely surrounded. There is no way we will be able to sneak our way past. The only alternative I can think of is to cut a path through them."

The words burst out of Link, "But there are hundreds! They'll be on me before I even finish my first stroke!"

"Which is why we'll need to use Din's Fire," Navi told him. "You can launch waves of fire with her spell, right? With it, you can clear enough of them to keep them from overwhelming you."

Link gazed beyond the flames to the monsters surrounding him. He met the hungry gazes of each of the floormasters and a smile spread on his face. "That's brilliant, Navi."

He drew his sword and thrust it to his side as he began to concentrate on the power inside him. It was slow coming at first, making Link worry that he had expended it all on casting Farore's Wind, but then it began flowing through him faster and more powerfully than he had ever felt before.

He almost laughed with giddiness. He turned to the monsters watching him and he noticed the flames protecting him were burning lower. He wasn't afraid though for the power in him was building and his sword was glowing white-hot. A thought struck him that he was being powered by this emerald fire, and a surge of gratitude brought tears to his eyes.

He blinked them away, fiercely concentrated on the power flowing into the Master Sword. The fire burned lower and the floormasters crowded closer, swiveling their bloodshot eyes in their stumps, eager to be the first to claim him.

The fire dwindled to a flicker and then went out, save for a single spark, which leaped into the air above Link's head. The floormasters surged forward, and Link, with a mighty cry, slashed his sword through the air.

A great wave of fire, a beautiful blend of ruby and emerald, larger and hotter than any he had unleashed before, washed over the horde, transforming them instantly into clouds of gray ash. Link shouted with triumph though he couldn't take the time to celebrate for the monsters clustered on the branches above him were already dropping to stake their claim on him. Had they dropped all at once, he could easily have been overwhelmed, yet without their mistress to coordinate them, they dropped intermittently, making it easy for the Kokiri to cut his way through them as he fled. Soon they were behind him, so he sheathed his sword and doubled his pace.

He came to a fork, and he hesitated as he tried to recall the path that would take him back out. He could hear the floormasters thundering behind him, quickly getting louder. Then a green ember darted in front of him, taking a path that Link instinctively knew was right. The ember was showing him the way out.

In a surpringly short time, they arrived upon the door leading back into the antechamber. Link threw himself through the door, the ember slipping through just before he slammed it shut.

He collapsed backwards onto the door, his chest heaving from the exertion. Quietly, the green ember drifted toward the square of torches where it alighted on the third torch and flared to life.

"Thr-three down," Link panted though he was smiling.

"Don't get too cocky," Navi warned him out of habit.

"Y-you know... something?" said Link, turning his gaze to the torches burning in three different colors. "I think those flames are alive somehow. Every single one of them saved my life."

"They are indeed curious," his fairy replied. "I have heard of various objects being imbued with a soul. Could this be the case for these flames?"

Link laughed at a thought. "Those Poes didn't know what they were in for when they kidnapped those flames, I'll bet. Didn't realize they would get burned..."

"I suppose it is possible..." Navi mused.

She was startled when her Kokiri suddenly shushed her and hissed, "Do you hear something?"

Their hearts were settling after beating in their ears, which was how Link became aware of a faint sound. He couldn't tell where it was coming from except it was somewhere inside the room. Tiny notes of despair that wringed his heart, for they reminded him of tears - tears streaming down a soft cheek that was usually pink with laughter... tears streaming from green eyes that usually sparkled with mischief... tears on a face that was usually alight with joy... tears where they did not belong.

"Saria!"

Navi gasped, "Saria? Are you certain?"

Link didn't answer her. He had no doubt it was her voice. Saria was crying in here somewhere, and he had to find her. All his weariness forgotten, all his pains and aches, the sharp cut on his head, the tightness in his chest, the scrapes and bruises he had incurred while seeking out the Poes and fighting their deadly pets, all shoved to the back of his mind to make room for one concern: to stop Saria's tears and tell her it was all right.

He ran toward the torches where he was certain he would find her but the sound did not get any louder. He could just hear her, a series of soft sobs that came seemingly from the air itself - an invisible spirit. Flickering from the torches, the light was a confusing mix of colors, doing little to illuminate the dark room.

"Saria!" he called. "Saria, where are you?" He darted to one end of the room, scanning the shadowy corners for the familiar shape of his friend, but to no avail. Saria didn't answer him but continued to sob softly.

"Saria!" He circled the room, calling her name. "Saria, please answer me! Where are you? It's me, Link! Saria!" He passed the eastern door, wondering very briefly if he should look inside before deciding she wasn't there. He passed the southern door and still found no sign of his friend though he could still hear her sobbing. His fairy was speaking to him in an urgent voice but he paid her no mind, too focused on finding Saria to hear her.

Then he found her. She was huddled in front of the western door, curled into a tiny ball. Link's heart caught in his chest for she was so small - much smaller than he remembered her, so vulnerable and defenseless. The colored lights flickering from the torches barely reached this corner so it appeared that she was assailed by a cluster of shadow creatures, plucking at her.

He hurried toward her. "Saria!"

Her head shot up and her eyes widened in horror. She leaped to her feet. "No! Get away from me!"

Link froze in shock. "Saria?"

She turned and burst through the door onto the tiered balcony, stumbling over the dead manhandla, which had wilted significantly since Link had last seen it.

He panicked. "Saria, wait! Where are you going? Saria!" He chased after her.

She ran to the edge of the balcony, glancing down into the dark maw of the forest below with a whimper. She glanced back at Link approaching and gasped in fright.

Then she jumped off.


	10. Ganon's Puppet

**Chapter 10: Ganon's Puppet**

"Saria! No!" Link dashed to the edge, all rational thought having fled his mind. He had to catch her! Reaching the edge, he hesitated. It was Navi's voice that had stopped him. "Don't be foolish, Link! Jumping off will only end you and we can't afford that!"

"But… Saria…" The tightness in his chest was back. He gazed down into the black forest below, searching for some sign of his friend, but there was nothing. Not a single sign that she had fallen in. It left an ache in him – a gaping hole that threatened to suck him in. Every trace of her just gone…

"How tragic…" sighed a cold voice.

The hole in his chest blazed into rage. He spun around, drawing his sword in the same motion, to confront the final Poe sister.

She clutched her claws to her chest in a supercilious gesture of remorse. "To have come all this way to save her… only to lose her. She was within your grasp and yet when you reached out to her… she rejected you… fled from you… she chose death rather than to take your hand… I wonder why?" She laughed.

Link thrust the Master Sword at her. "You did something to her, didn't you? What did you do? Tell me!"

"Why should I? Will it bring her back? Or perhaps it will ease your pain… assuage the guilt you feel in your failure? No, I will leave you to the full agony of it. That sweet and bitter agony. Ah!" She spread her arms and dropped her head back as though basking in it.

With a roar of fury, Link dropped his sword and pulled out his bow. Too quickly for the Poe to react, he drew his arrow and fired.

The lantern didn't shatter as he expected. It burst with a rushing sound as purple flames billowed into the air, consuming the Poe within seconds, yet she didn't scream. Instead, she laughed, a chilling sound like a breath of arctic wind that raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

The ball of dark fire split in two and took shape. The flames receded, leaving behind twin Poes, who both regarded the Kokiri with fiery eyes.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" they said. Their voices overlapped each other, a discordant rasp. "Your anger is clouding your mind." They laughed at him.

He roared with fury and fired two more arrows. The lanterns burst into clouds of flames only to reform into two more Poes, all of them laughing at his futility. Navi tried to speak to him, to warn him, but he was deaf to all but the rage in his chest and he fired more arrows, this time aiming for their heads, their hearts, their hands, anywhere that might serve as their weakness, but the Poes only multiplied until he was surrounded.

"Is that the best you can do?" they rasped, by now an overwhelming cacophony that sent Link forcibly trembling. "Where is the fearsome warrior who felled my sisters? Are you not the chosen hero destined to save this land?"

"Shut up!" He fired another arrow and another Poe burst into two.

"How disappointing," they all hissed. "I expected more from the wielder of the Master Sword. A master tactician, yet though it is clear you cannot defeat me this way, you persist in shooting me with those arrows. Ah well, best I take your soul now before you give in to despair."

Link lowered his bow. "Before I give in to despair? Why?"

The Poes shifted with renewed interest. They sighed, "Ah, curiosity. How divine. Very well, I will explain. Look here." They all lifted their lanterns and pointed to it. "Do you know what this is?"

Navi answered from Link's shoulder, "They hold the souls that you capture."

The Poes' eyes all shifted to focus on the fairy and hissed, "Precisely. We capture souls and store them in these vessels in order to sustain ourselves. It is the platter from which we feed and thus remain tethered to this world."

Link blanched in horror. They trapped souls in those grimy lanterns? And eat them? Suddenly the lanterns took an ominous impression.

"A hardy soul can keep us alive for a few years, but fresh ones are so hard to find, and I'm afraid I have selective tastes." They sighed as one, giving Link the strong impression of falling into a deep vacuum.

"Too many of them are soured by fear and despair. I prefer my souls to have a little taste of everything: anger, joy, sadness, curiosity, hope… a perfect blend of emotions that has only just begun to ripen." They smacked their lips and laughed. Link shuddered in repulsion. Perhaps he should give in to fear if only to spite her-sour his soul and make her life here just a little more unpleasant. But he couldn't feel fear. Just a burning hatred in his chest.

"You want to taste hope?" he said through gritted teeth. "I'll give you hope! Just show yourself and give me the chance to kill you!"

The Poes studied him thoughtfully as though they were actually considering this. They hummed in thought, a painful vibration that was like a spear of ice through his ears. At last, they stopped their humming and spoke, "Very well, then. I am hidden near the entrance to this temple. Come find me and perhaps... perhaps, you will avenge your dear friend..." They parted to form an aisle to the door leading back into the temple.

Link sheathed his sword and began walking down the aisle, avoiding the searing gazes of the Poes. He did not feel hope as he had promised the insatiate specter but still that hot anger. On his shoulder, Navi whispered to him, "Excellent idea, Link! Using her weakness to your advantage! We may save the world yet!"

He wasn't in the mood for her praise but grunted an assent. Without pausing for the door, he pushed through into the central chamber and swiveled immediately for the exit. As he approached, he pulled out his bow.

"Wait, Link."

He drew closer to the hallway. He pulled out an arrow and nocked it.

"Link, stop."

He stepped through into the overgrown corridor. He raised his bow and yelled, "Here I am! Come out! Show yourself!"

"LINK!"

He flinched. Trying his best to control his temper, he said, "What is it, Navi?"

"Something is wrong. Turn around."

Link obediently spun around and fired his bow. The arrow shot into empty air, falling with a clatter in the center of the ring of torches, on top of the sunken box. He quickly nocked another arrow and raised his bow. "Where is she? Did you see her?"

"Stop, Link," Navi commanded. "Look. That box. It's still in the ground."

He scowled. "So?"

Navi matched his scathing tone. "So how did Saria get up here?"

The Kokiri began to lose his patience. "Why does it matter?"

"Because I suspect Saria's still down there!"

All the anger fled Link, leaving him shaken. Could she really mean...? He croaked, "Wh-what do you mean?"

"I mean that the Saria we saw wasn't the real Saria. It was an illusion. An apparition... Meg's apparition..."

Link's bow clattered to the floor. He had heard the hiss of a Poe in those words. The last Poe had mentioned the tricks of the others, including, "Meg's apparitions." Could that really be true? Was the Saria who had leaped to her death been only a trick, after all?

His breath caught in his chest and he couldn't swallow. There was pain, an ache that lacerated his ribs. His fingers prickled with ice. It was pain yet it was a welcome change from the feelings of emptiness he had felt before, save for the single hot ember of rage in his chest. For beneath it all was a warm spark. The warm spark of hope.

"Ah, there it is," Meg spoke.

Link wheeled around, the rage blazing in his chest again. He demanded, "Is it true? Is Saria still alive down there?"

"That is your hope," whispered the Poe. "Your friend… still alive… it tastes… ahhhhhh!" She shivered in ecstasy.

"Is she?!"

The Poe paid him no heed. She rasped, "It's so heavenly! Hope! I must have more! More… but how?" She turned her red gaze on him. "I wonder… if I showed her to you… would you have more hope?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "Yes… yes, I'll show her to you, and you will give me more hope…" She raised her lantern and with her other hand reached for the panel. Behind the grimy pane, the purple flames burned brighter in anticipation.

Navi spoke, "What are you doing?" The urgency in her voice prompted Link to draw his sword.

Meg unlatched the pane. A long tongue of dark flame shot out and drew a large circle around the three of them. With a roar, it burst into a wall. Link spun around in panic. What sort of trap was this?

"Look," said the Poe, pointing into the flames.

Link did as he was told while keeping one eye on Meg. The flames began to twist and contort into strange shapes, taking on a strange water-like fluidity. Gradually they took recognizable forms: portraits on the walls, a chain link barrier around the edges of a platform, a pedestal upon which sat a stone bed… a scene straight from his nightmare.

The flames coalesced into two figures: one lying on the bed and the other hovering at its head, gazing down at the prone figure. Link recognized the shape on the bed and his throat clenched. "Saria!" he croaked.

Then four more figures appeared, shaped by the flames. The four Poe Sisters. From the flickering hood of one of the Sisters, a voice hissed, "So this is the trespasser. My, how young she looks."

"Indeed," hissed another. "Such is the nature of the Kokiri – to be forever youthful and naïve. Free from the cares of the mortal world. Never to know the extent of man's ambitions and cruelty. It makes for such a tasty soul…" She reached forward as though to caress the Kokiri's forehead. The figure standing at the head of the stone dais lashed out an arm, causing the Poe to leap backwards with an angry hiss.

"Restrain yourself, Meg," said her sister with amusement, "Lord Ganondorf forbids us from touching her."

"Yes, Beth, I am well aware of that," said Meg impatiently, shooting the figure at the head of the bed a nasty glance.

Then another person materialized and strode toward the bed. It had been seven years since Link had seen him last but there was no mistaking the sorcerer, Ganondorf. Though Link had grown, the thief was still an imposing figure. He wore his stately attire with natural dignity, jewels gleaming everywhere on his person - on the rings on every finger, on the belt at his waist, on the edges of his tunic, on the choker around his throat, on the crown on his head. The only thing out of place on him were the two pendants around his neck - two beads strung through with plain leather cords.

He stopped abruptly and snapped his head down to look at Saria. He had an air of impatience as though he had some other urgent business to attend to. "Is this the one?" he snapped.

"Yes, Your Highness," Meg simpered in an oily voice. "She seemed to have been drawn here as a moth to a flame."

"Hmph!" He studied her face. "She appears to be very young."

"She is a Kokiri, my lord," Meg explained. "They age very slowly, so yes, she does appear to be very young, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she is much older than you. Possibly eighty or ninety years."

"Indeed?" said Ganondorf, his tone softening. "Then it may be that she holds much wisdom."

"Not likely, milord. The forest folk are renowned for their youthfulness… their naivety. Their minds are as ageless as their bodies."

As Meg spoke, the thief king took up Saria's wrist and placed his other hand next to hers. He studied her hand, but whatever he was looking for, he didn't find, for eventually, he dropped her hand with a snort of disgust.

"It's not her. Yet I do feel a strange power in her. What does it mean, Meg?"

"My lord," Beth spoke. "If I may posit a guess, I would deem it likely that she is a Sage."

Link gasped aloud. The other figures defined by the flames reacted less in surprise. Meg snarled while Ganondorf turned back to the Kokiri with a thoughtful expression.

"A Sage…" he murmured to himself. "Then it's possible…" He glanced up and barked, "Guard her well. Make certain no harm comes to her." The figure at the head of the bed bobbed in acknowledgment.

 _No harm?_ Link was surprised by this decree but also relieved. _Then she is still safe! But why would Ganondorf want her safe? What does he want from her?_

"Milord!" cried Meg. "Would you grant me…"

"Look out, Link!" Navi cried.

Then from behind, he heard glass shatter and the Poe scream. He spun around and saw that the purple flame had escaped its prison and was winding around Meg. She swatted at it in futility but was soon entirely consumed, her screams rattling inside Link before fading to oblivion. Soon her purple essence seeped out of the fire's grasp and was gone. Link felt his spirits rising. He had the last flame! Now he could save Saria! He waited for the flame to drop into its sconce.

But it didn't do that. Instead it gathered the surrounding fire together, growing larger, burning higher, crackling more furiously. It stretched into a rope with a large body. At one end, cruel-looking barbs shaped themselves. At the other, a narrow head formed with black holes for eyes, which turned to Link and stared at him. The gaze was chilling.

Link raised his sword and shield. "Navi," he said nervously. "What's going on?"

"Run for the torches," she answered. She repeated more forcefully, "RUN!"

He didn't have time to react. The fiery rope swooped for him, its mouth open wide to swallow him whole. Yet even as he started to raise his shield, the three other flames - red, green, and blue – pounced and merged with it, sending tongues of different colors shooting through its body. The dark flame writhed in the air, hissing angrily. Slowly it drifted toward the torches, still thrashing to escape its bindings, and the closer it got, the harder it thrashed. Finally, it hovered over the brazier and it shot high into the air, tongues of flame clawing at the ceiling while the other flames attempted to anchor it inside the torch.

Then, at last, a tiny flame of the dark blaze was herded into the brazier. Within an instant the purple fire was sucked inside and then blazed to life again, burning placidly. The remaining flames returned to their torches.

A calm settled upon the room. Link let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Then his fairy spoke, "I think I understand. The first three flames contain the spirits of the goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore – at least, a portion of them. But the dark flame must contain the soul of someone wicked."

"Who?" Link asked.

Navi shook her head. "I don't…" She was distracted by a creaking noise. Link heard the sound too and turned. His heart leaped when he saw the box in the center of the torches rising. The way was open! Saria!

He ran to the box and stepped inside. It shuddered and began its descent. Seeing the floor rising up to swallow him, suddenly Link felt a surge of fear flow through him – his fear of small spaces attempting to overwhelm him. He squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, reminding himself that Saria was waiting for him at the bottom.

"We're almost there," Navi whispered encouragingly.

Soon the box came to a stop. Link cautiously opened his eyes and then stepped off the box. The moment he did, it slowly rose back up with a rattle. Link watched it leave with a feeling of unease and then turned to the stairs leading down to the twin doors. Just as he remembered them, they started wide and then narrowed with each step, making it appear longer – a formidable distance for him to cross to rescue his friend. He raced down the stairs without delay and soon came upon the doors, embellished with vines of precious metals and emerald leaves, separating him from her. He pushed through the doors and ran inside. The doors clunked shut behind him.

He dashed across the plank and toward the center of the platform. In the center, he stopped and spun around, glancing at each of the paintings hanging on the walls beyond the platform – all depicting the exact same scene: a road winding through the dark into the distance and a skeletal tree silhouetted against a yellow moon.

"Saria!" he called, still spinning around to find her. "Saria, are you here? Answer me!"

Then he heard a laugh that turned his blood cold. A slow, deliberate laugh – the same that had haunted his dreams seven years before. Ganondorf. He spun around but the thief was nowhere in sight.

"Show yourself!" he yelled, drawing his sword.

Ganondorf laughed again. Then he spoke, "So you have come at last. After seven long years, you finally show your face."

"And you hide yours!" Link retorted. "Are you too afraid to face me?"

Link was attempting to goad him, but Ganondorf only laughed. "You show a little more gall than when we met last. Good. Good. This is promising. Show me your courage."

Link felt more than heard the sorcerous thief approaching. But it wasn't until his fairy cried out, "Behind you!" that he found him. In the painting behind him, a hulking shape appeared, galloping down the road. Within moments, the beast reached the foreground and burst through the painting with a shrill whinny. Sparks flew as its hooves struck the platform, nearly crushing Link before he leaped back. The Kokiri shot a murderous sneer at the rider upon the horse's back only to gasp in surprise when he saw him gripping the arm of his friend, who sat in front of him, slumped against the beast's neck.

"Saria!"

"You know her?" said Ganondorf in surprise.

Link thrust his sword at him. "Let her go, you monster!"

The thief laughed. "How fortuitous for me. I have what you desperately want. Perhaps we can arrange a trade. Show me your hand."

Link's anger at the man gave way to a sense of eeriness. Something was wrong with Ganondorf. As he spoke, his mouth never moved; instead, it remained locked in a chilling smile. His yellow eyes had a cold and empty look to them. And worst of all were his movements. His head nodded in short jerks as though his neck wasn't attached properly, and his elbows hung too low and swung like pendulums.

"Show me your hand, boy," Ganondorf repeated impatiently though his smile never wavered or indeed moved. "I wish to see if you have it."

"Have what?"

Ganondorf's arm shuddered upward and then swung toward Saria's neck in a choking grip. "If you want her alive then you will show me your hand."

"Here, here!" Link cried, thrusting his palm forward.

The thief's arm tightened abruptly against Saria's neck. "The other side."

Link turned the back of his hand to the sorcerer. The sorcerer leaned forward in the saddle, so far out that ordinarily he would have fallen off the horse. It was as though he was held up by some invisible string. Up close, his sneer and unseeing eyes were even more uncanny – a wooden face. It wasn't even human.

"What are you?" Link cried, recoiling in horror.

The head rolled up, fixing the Kokiri with an unblinking stare. From his unmoving mouth, he spoke, "Ah, I see. You have not encountered my puppets before, have you?" He reached up to his face and then pulled it away… a mask.

Both Link and Navi cried out in horror at the true face beneath it. The skin was gray and shriveled, drawn taut around the orifices, making them appear larger. The eye sockets were empty except for two red pinpricks of light that bored into Link's own.

"I'm quite proud of my puppets," spoke the creature, its bare teeth clicking. "This one, in particular. It was a man once by the name of Balthagar. I don't believe you have ever met him before. He was an excellent spy before he attempted to claim privileges above his station, the presumptuous fool!" The creature spat angrily. "After I rescued his pathetic neck from the noose, he dares to lay claim to my sister?" The creature clenched a fist, its elbow wobbling from the gesture. "But in the end, he still proved useful to me. My first successful experiment."

Link could only gape at the withered creature. Navi's voice came out shakily, "Is there truly no base to the depth of your depravity? Have you no respect for life at all?"

The puppet's head twisted at an awkward angle to gaze at the fairy on Link's shoulder. "Yes, I remember this audacious, little bug. And I warned you then that she ought to watch her tongue before something happens to her." The puppet stretched out an arm and clenched its fist.

Link placed his hand protectively over his fairy and said, "We had a deal. I showed you my hand, now let Saria go."

"Hmph! I know I said I admire your gall, but even I have my limits. You will show me respect!" The puppet swept its hand through the air in an angry gesture. "I am not yet finished with you. If you want her back, you will show me your courage!" It kicked its horse's flanks, causing it to rear with an angry shriek, and then it charged straight for Link. He dodged out of its path, and it leaped into the painting behind him, galloping down the road until it vanished into the horizon.

"No!" Link ran to the edge and swung his arms back.

"What are you doing?" his fairy cried.

"I'm going after him," Link answered, but just as he was ready to jump, he heard galloping behind him. He spun around and saw Ganon's puppet coming down the road of a different painting. He drew his bow and took aim.

"Watch for your friend. Don't hit her by mistake."

The puppet burst from the painting and galloped toward the young Kokiri. He quickly lowered his bow and fired at the horse's leg.

It barely slowed. Indeed, the arrow lodged in the upper leg just above its joint seemed to have no effect on the beast and he was nearly trampled as it came upon him. Only by rolling sideways did he escape its deadly hooves.

The puppet scoffed, "You intended to maim this mount? It is no more alive than the creature that sits upon it. It is my will that drives it and so it cannot be hobbled. You will need to do better than that!" It thrust out a hand where a spark appeared and then shot toward Link. He dodged out of the way, avoiding the blast of electricity where it struck. The puppet wheeled its horse around and charged toward Link again. The Kokiri sidestepped the beast and fired at the back of the puppet's head. It reeled from the blow but wheeled the horse around for another charge at Link as though nothing had happened.

He dodged again. "These aren't hurting him at all! What do I do?"

The puppet laughed. "Giving up already, boy? Where's your warrior's spirit?" It charged toward Link again, who dodged out of the way. The puppet laughed as he dodged several more times - taking the opportunity during one of the charges to drive his sword through one of its legs and still it ran at him as though nothing had happened - until at last his fairy said, "Perhaps we should try separating him from his horse."

"How?" Link chopped off another leg and yet the phantom horse continued galloping on its two remaining right legs. The puppet wheeled its horse around and then said, "Hmph! How disappointing. I expected more from the wielder of the Master Sword. But perhaps it's too early yet." It turned its horse and trotted toward the edge.

Link demanded. "What are you talking about?"

The puppet swiveled its head toward Link, gnashing its exposed teeth as it replied, "Come to my castle when you are ready. I will keep your friend safe until then…"

"NO!" Reacting on pure instinct, Link pulled out his bow, drew an arrow and fired. It plunged through one eye and out the other.

"Gah!" The puppet's arms flailed and the horse reared with a shrill shriek. Saria slumped off the horse's neck and fell to the ground with a thud.

"Saria!" Link rushed over, drawing his sword and slashing the horse's foreleg before it could stomp on his friend. The beast tipped forward, threatening to crush the Kokiri girl beneath its weight but Link caught it and with a mighty heave shoved it backward where it crashed to the ground.

The puppet floundered beneath the weight of the legless beast until it managed to free itself and rose into the air, its limbs dangling limply beneath it. Then its arms snaked upward, patting its face until they found the arrow.

It laughed as it tugged on the arrow. "Well done, boy. You've managed to blind me. This puppet's just about run its usefulness. But before I throw it away…" It opened its mouth far wider than a living man could and felt its way inside. Then from its throat it pulled out the head of a three-pronged spear, followed by the shaft, which it soon had gripped in both hands.

"Let's have a final bit of fun with it!"

With this, it jabbed the air and swung it in wide arcs. When it hit nothing, the puppet swooped down from the air like a bird, its spear thrust forward. Link sidestepped the attack but was caught by surprise when the shaft swung back and struck him across the cheek. The head of the spear grazed his temple as he fell backwards, a flash of pain that seared through his right eye, watering it so he could not see clearly. But he paid no attention to the pain. Upon hitting the ground, he immediately rolled to avoid the puppet's blind jabs, its blade drawing sparks each time it struck.

"You're here somewhere," it taunted. "I can hear you rolling around." It slashed the spear in circles along the ground as it searched for Link. It swiveled around when it heard the young warrior jump to his feet and draw his sword.

"Over here, you sack of bones!" Link yelled, slamming his sword against his shield.

"Heh!" the puppet laughed and with a twitch of its hands the spear suddenly began crackling with electricity. Then it swooped toward him.

Link dropped his shield and sword. He took advantage of the noisy clatter they made to leap out of reach of the puppet, which began viciously stabbing the abandoned weapons. He quietly stepped around behind it and then leaped onto its back.

"Ha! What's this?" howled the puppet and then leaped into the air. It began to dance wildly in an attempt to throw the young hero off, but he clung to it tightly.

Navi yelled from his shoulder, "What is your plan?"

"To bring it down!" he answered.

The puppet thrashed about the room, swinging its spear uncontrollably. Unable to see where it was going, it drifted dangerously close to the walls and the floor until its spear struck the hard surface and bounced out of its hands.

The puppet paused and then laughed. "Heh, heh, heh. How clever. You fight like no warrior I've ever met. I look forward to facing you in the flesh. Until then, enjoy your victory."

Without warning, the puppet dropped out of the air. Navi screamed in fright. The room echoed with cracks when they hit the ground, which Link feared was his bones breaking, even though he had rolled backwards to soften the impact. It was to his relief that he discovered that, while sore, they were intact enough to allow him to stand. Next to him lay the puppet in a tangled heap, its limbs splayed at odd angles. The fall had broken it.

Link wasn't going to take chances, though. He snatched up the spear that the puppet had dropped and plunged it straight through its body and into the ground, pinning it in place. His fairy spoke with a tremble in her voice, "Well done, Link. Ganondorf's puppet is finished, and you've driven the Poe Sisters from the temple. There's just one thing left to do."

"Saria!" Link spun around and hurried to his friend's prone form. Kneeling beside her, he lifted her head and said breathlessly, "Please, wake up, Saria. Wake up!"

She drew a shuddering breath and then slowly opened her eyes. They shivered in their sockets before gradually coming to focus on Link's face. Her voice came out weakly, "Who…"

"Saria, it's me, Link! Do you remember me?" He locked his eyes with hers as though to draw the memory from her. He could still feel the pain when he thought she had jumped to her death because she didn't recognize him.

She gasped. "Link? Is it… really you?" She reached up to touch his face, prodding it firmly. Then she gave a weak chuckle. "What happened to you? You look… different."

"I've grown," Link answered. "I'm seven years older now."

"Seven years…" Saria's hand sank to the floor. "You went away for seven years… that's… a really long time, Link." She squeezed her eyes shut and a tear rolled out. "I missed you so much… so, so much…" She began to sob.

Link pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tight. "It's okay, Saria. I'm back now. I came back for you. Don't cry, please. Listen…" and he told her everything that had happened since he had left the forest – everything he had wanted to tell her before he had been spirited away. Saria listened with wide eyes and soon the tears stopped. She gasped when he told her about the apparition that had jumped off, making him believe he had lost her, and when he finished she said, "I didn't know it would be so dangerous. I just had this feeling that I needed to come here, like someone was desperately calling my name. I didn't mean to worry you."

"I know, Saria," Link assured her. "I know."

"But," she continued, "it still feels like I need to do something here… but I don't know what it is."

"You are a Sage," Navi answered. "You were called here because you are needed to fulfill a role."

"I'm a Sage?" Saria gasped. "But… what does that mean? What do I do?"

Link swallowed a lump in his throat. He didn't know how to feel about his best friend being a Sage. To be stuck in a lifeless world corrupted by Ganondorf, cut off from everyone, including him… but Rauru was there, and maybe it was the safest place for her…

Link took her hand in his. "It's okay, Saria. That's why I'm here. I'm going to help you awaken as a Sage." He pulled out his ocarina.

"This is the Minuet of Forest," Link told her. He nodded at her. "This song is for you." And he began to play.

The sweet notes trilled in the dark chamber – notes that stepped briskly and called for others to join in, yet the call went unheeded until it seemed they would finish alone.

Then a voice joined in – pure and sweet, giving partner to the ocarina's voice. Then it was joined by others until it grew into a harmonious swell that filled the chamber, chasing away the shadows clinging to the corners to make room for life and hope.

The pedestal in the center began to glow. A column of blue light shot to the ceiling, rippling like fire. It spread outward toward them. Saria clutched Link's arm in fright.

"What's happening, Link? What is that light?"

Navi answered for the young Kokiri as he was still playing, "Do not be afraid, Saria. It will not harm you. It will take us to the Chamber of Sages."

The little Kokiri girl closed her eyes as the rippling blue light enveloped the three of them. She felt a pang of fear, but it was quickly washed away as she realized how warm it was. It was comforting, a protective embrace that made her feel safe – something she hadn't felt in such a long time. She gave a sob of relief.

Now she felt Link wrapping his arms around her and whispering in her ear. "It's all right, Saria. I will protect you. You're safe now."

She gripped him tightly. "Promise me you won't leave me again. Promise me…"

There was hesitation in his voice when he spoke again, "Saria…"

Then a deep voice spoke, "Welcome back, young hero. I see you've succeeded in awakening a Sage." The two of them pulled apart to find an old man gazing at them.

"Hello, Rauru," Link greeted him.

Rauru nodded at Link and then turned to Saria. His eyes sparkled with warmth. "Welcome, child of the forest. We've waited a long time for you."


	11. The Great Fairy of Courage

**Chapter 11: The Great Fairy of Courage**

"I am Rauru, the Sage of Light. Mine is the gift of truth. Where the shadows of deception gather, light shall chase them away. All who walk in right seek it; all who court with evil fear it. Beneath its gaze, courage and wisdom thrive while cowardice and ignorance wither. It is a precious gift and must be protected at all costs. This is my duty as the Sage of Light.

"You are Saria, the Sage of Forest. Yours is the gift of harmony. Where a single seed struggles to bloom, the ripened trees will guide its roots. The wise give to the forest more than they take; the foolish take it all and perish. The trees are the wellsprings of the world's vitality, and without them, all would cease to be. It is a precious gift and must be protected at all costs. This is your duty as the Sage of Forest."

The young Kokiri girl nodded. "I am Saria, the Sage of Forest…" She recited the mantra as Rauru had instructed her as part of the ceremony required to awaken her as a Sage. Her expression showed she was anxious, uncertain about her role, yet her voice rang clear and held steady. She didn't know if she had what it took but she would give it her all. Link had no doubt of that. He yearned to take her hand to reassure her and show her that she could do it, but adhering to Rauru's instruction, he didn't move from his place in the center of the circle.

Sensing his restlessness, Navi asked him, "Are you all right, Link?"

He hesitated a moment and then sighed. "Yes… I'm just… worried for her. I can't bear the thought of leaving her again."

"She is safe here," Navi reassured him. "And she has a role to fulfill – a realm to protect. For the sake of the world, she must become the Sage of Forest."

Link sighed heavily. "You're right, Navi. As usual."

The fairy winced uncomfortably at his resigned tone. When she spoke again, her voice was softer, "Sometimes it's hard, Link, what we're called to do. What we're asked to sacrifice… but remember that we are oftentimes stronger than we realize… and for everything that is lost in this war… in the end, our efforts and sacrifices yield so much more in return… even if we don't realize it…" Her words came out choked.

Link glanced down at her and noticed her eyes were squeezed shut as she tried to hold back tears. He realized what she must be thinking.

"The Great Deku Tree…" he said cautiously, "…was it worth it?"

She looked up at him, her eyes glassy. She sniffed and took a shuddering breath before she answered with conviction, "It will be."

For her, Link would make certain of that. Then he became aware of a subtle shift in the air - a slight fragrance of earth and pine. He noticed a tiny petal fluttering through the gray mist toward Saria. It was followed by a seed that used tiny hairs shaped into an umbrella to float. Then there was another seed, and then another that was shaped like a wing to spin through the air.

Soon the air was filled with all manner of plant life - leaves, seeds, petals – that swirled about the three of them in a mischievous dance, tickling their necks and noses, and then spinning away before they could be caught. Link glanced over at his friend, whose eyes were wide and her mouth open.

"I understand," she said, her voice rising with excitement. "I know what I need to do!" She turned to Rauru. "I need to go back to the temple."

Rauru bowed to her. "Do what you must. It needs you."

"Oh, yes, thank you!" She was breathless with excitement. She spun around to Link and she hesitated, not with regret but with the uncertainty of how she would explain what it was she needed to do.

He shook his head. "You don't need to explain it to me. You have your duty. And…" he swallowed with difficulty. "I have mine."

She shook her head. "Please, Link, don't talk like that. It isn't goodbye," she gave a small laugh. "It's only until our jobs are finished. And then we can go back to the way it was before. You'll see."

Rauru closed his eyes and sighed. He turned his back to them and paced to the edge of the platform. He couldn't bring himself to tell them the truth of it. The way that war changed people. The permanence of that change – like a stain that could never be scrubbed out – a stain that settled so deeply into the fibers that to take it out would be to destroy the entire fabric.

No, he would allow them their naivety; allow them to hope for just a little longer…

Saria continued, "But until then. Please take this token of my strength with you." She reached up into the air and clasped a passing seed. She brought it down and cradled it in both palms where it rapidly sprouted into a many-petal bud. One at a time, the petals fell away until its center was revealed: a wooden token that resembled the Light Medallion that Rauru had given Link before, but with three green leaves spinning around the center as its symbol. He took it from her with reverence.

"I have to go now, Link," said Saria, flashing him a tentative smile as she took a step back. "But we'll see each other again soon… right?"

He gave her a firm nod. Seeing this, her smile brightened, like the momentary flare of a candle, and then she stepped onto the dais with the symbol that represented her domain. A pillar of blue light flared around her and then gradually diminished, taking her away with it.

"And now, Link," said Rauru, his strong voice startling the young swordsman, "to your own task. But first, there is someone who wishes to meet you." He thrust his hands into the air.

Blue light erupted around Link and closed in on him. When the light was gone, he found himself back in the woods, standing next to a spring.

He knew right away what it was. The spring was surrounded by a tight cluster of pines, which dripped crystalline dew from their leaves into the pool in a neverending shower. The drops that hit the water made only the softest burbling and the water itself was as smooth as glass, barely disturbed by all the drops. And hovering in its center was a tall woman garbed in a gown of leaves and flowers.

"Well met, young hero," she spoke.

"Another Great Fairy," he murmured.

She gave a small laugh. "Yes. I am the Great Fairy of Courage. The Great Deku Tree told me all about you. I am so glad to finally meet you." Looking him up and down, she took note of the cuts and bruises on his body, the torn fabric of his clothes. "I see you have suffered many tribulations and, ah!" She gasped as she spotted Navi on Link's shoulder. "Dear child, your wings! They're barely there! And a fairy without her wings is hardly a fairy at all!"

"She lost them while protecting me," Link explained, his voice rising defensively.

The Great Fairy raised her hands consolingly and she laughed, "Peace, child. I did not mean it as a rebuke. And worry not. It is nothing I cannot fix." She kissed her hand and then blew it at the two of them. Gold dust streamed from her palm and enveloped them. Link's aches and pains faded as a rush of strength flowed back into him, but he was more concerned about his fairy and so he turned to her.

"Oh!" she gasped. "Oh my! I feel…" She glanced at her wings to watch as the torn membrane re-stitched itself. Then she leaped into the air, fluttering her newly repaired wings.

"I feel wonderful! Oh, thank you, Great Fairy! Thank you!" She darted through the air, laughing with relief and joy.

"Consider it a small recompense for your courage and loyalty," said the Great Fairy. She chuckled. "Your trials have been demanding. It is time for you both to see the fruits of your labors. Follow me." She turned and began gliding into the trees, her train of flowers flowing being her, petals and seeds scattering across the ground in her wake. The Kokiri and his fairy followed behind her, Link to the side as he did not want to tread on the seeds.

Before very long, they entered a glade occupied by an enormous tree. The bark of it was gray and weathered, and its boughs were barren. The Great Fairy slowed her pace, her movement making it obvious she was now making use of her legs. "Here." She beckoned them to follow her around the tree. She had taken on an air of great respect and remorse, and Link had a suspicion he knew why. The tree they were circling…

They came around to its face. Navi gave a sob, which she quickly stifled. The Great Fairy turned to her and spoke, "There is no need to restrain yourself. He was a wonderful friend, a loving father. He has left a great void that will be very difficult to fill. So give him all your love and hold nothing back."

So Navi cried. She cried loudly, her tears streaming down her cheeks in torrents. Her shoulders shook with great force. She was crying so hard that she couldn't keep herself in the air and she came to rest on Link's shoulder again, sobbing into his neck. Link avoided looking at her, not wanting to cause her shame, though his own eyes were streaming. He fixed his gaze instead on the face of the Great Deku Tree – the wizened face that had seen many years pass, filled with a millennium of wisdom - the eyes which were crinkled from smiling so much. His mouth was still open, almost as if he was in the middle of a song.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Great Fairy bow her head. He glanced at her and discovered to his shock that she was crying, too. Tears like glittering diamonds fell to the cracked ground, moistening it and turning it into a rich brown. He could also hear her singing in a very low voice that was almost silent. The song was one of pain and regret so deep that he felt he might tear himself in half from it but there was also a note of thankfulness in it that gave him the strength to withstand the pain.

Link wasn't sure how long it was before both fairies had cried themselves out. He bore their pain patiently, knowing that nothing he could say or do would ease it for them. But at last, the Great Fairy stood, Navi lifted off of Link's shoulder, and as one they turned to each other.

"He has left a great void that will be difficult to fill," the Great Fairy repeated. "His final gift to us all. To make room for others to grow and flourish. For in this void will we find new life, new love. And it is our duty to guide that new life on its way, to show them that same love we were given. No, to give them a greater love than what he was capable of giving us. For the world is constantly changing, striving to be better than what it was before. It will be difficult, yes, but we will be all the stronger for it."

Navi sniffed. "I think I know what you mean."

The Great Fairy nodded. "Now see what your efforts have wrought for you."

She sank to her knees and swept her hand down in a caressing gesture. Link leaned in and Navi dropped to see where she was pointing.

A tiny shoot had appeared in the dark earth where the Great Fairy's tears had wet it. She cupped her hands around it and began to sing again. It sounded the same as when she had been singing for the Great Deku Tree, yet it seemed to be more joyful and welcoming. Link and Navi watched, sensing that something was about to happen.

The shoot twitched in response to the Great Fairy's singing, the tiny leaves fluttering as though waving hello. Then it began to stretch, rising out of the earth. Its pale green color, the color of delicacy, deepened as it grew taller and thicker, the frail membrane becoming hardier, like wood.

The Great Fairy stood and took a step back. The shoot was growing faster now, forcing Link and Navi back to give it room. Two new branches sprouted, tipped with leaves.

Then its growth slowed, its green bark creaking as it settled. Link and Navi gasped as two eyes in the bark opened and glanced at them. Then a mouth cracked open beneath a protruding branch that gave it the appearance of a nose.

Then it spoke in the high voice of a child, "Good morning! Oh, what a wonderful morning! Oh, I've waited seven _years_ to feel the sun on my face!" He rustled his leaves as he laughed gaily. "Hello, hello, and hello again! You must be Link, right?" His eyes were so bright with happiness that Link couldn't help but smile. "Thank you for ridding the forest of those wicked monsters! I feared I would _never_ come out of the ground! Oh, what a wonderful morning it is!"

"You mean you've been hiding under the ground for seven years?" Link asked the sprout.

"Oh, sure! I mean, I was only a seed then but each year I would stretch out some roots and grow a little bigger. But as young and fragile as I was, I didn't dare to come up for fear some of those monsters would trample me or tear out my roots! But it wasn't all bad. I've been making friends and learning everything that they know so I can be as wise and good as the Great Deku Tree was."

The Great Fairy laughed. "You're sounding wiser already. The Great Deku Tree would be proud."

"You really mean it?" The little sprout beamed with pride. "I swear I won't let you down! I'll be a good protector of the forest and the Kokiri."

"Of that, I have no doubt," said the Great Fairy, smiling. Then her expression became serious. "But we have a long way to go before the world is completely safe again." She turned to the young Kokiri. "Link, we are counting on you to purge Hyrule of its blight. And you too, Navi."

Navi bowed. "We will not let you or anyone else down." Link nodded in affirmation.

The Great Fairy nodded. She said, "It pains me to see you shoulder so heavy a burden. Allow me to ease you of a small portion of that burden." She took a step backward to distance herself from Link and thrust her arms to her side in a pose that the young man immediately recognized as a ritual for a spell.

"This is known as Farore's Respite," she told him. She pulled in her right arm. "As with all of your other talents, first you must draw in the power." Link's attention was then drawn to her skirt when the flowers and leaves parted to allow her long legs to be seen. She crossed her right leg behind her left and bent her knees, bringing her low to the ground.

"Now cast your power about you," she spoke, rising to her feet while twisting her body in a circle, her arms swinging around her before rising above her head and falling in a graceful arch.

The young Kokiri did as she instructed. He drew the power in and then cast it, feeling it disperse in a rush of wind. He saw the world become faded as though the wind had washed away the colors. With a flash of panic, he wondered if he had performed the spell wrong.

The Great Fairy behind him, whose color was all the more vibrant against the faded world, laughed. "Well done, Link. You have cast Farore's Respite. This spell has the power to slow time, which I'm sure will be helpful to you. It does consume a lot of energy, but with practice, I'm sure you'll master it in no time."

"All right, thank you, Great Fairy. But uh…" He gave a half-hearted gesture to the frozen world.

She smiled. "To dispel it, simply blow it away." She demonstrated with a puff, and the colors rushed back in. She laughed and said, "It was truly a pleasure to meet you at last, young hero. I do hope that what I've shown you has revitalized you and strengthened your resolve?" When he nodded, she laughed and said, "Wonderful! Then I shall leave it to you." She nodded at him and then turned to the Deku Sprout, who puffed out his chest as though to prove that she could count on him. She gave him a nod of acknowledgment.

"I leave it to you... all of you," she said again. She started to glide back into the forest but then halted and said, "Ah! I almost forgot. I have one last piece of advice for you, young Link." She turned to him. "You must remember that it is not meant for you to undo mistakes, for if it were so easy then what value would its lessons have?"

He wasn't meant to undo mistakes? What exactly did she mean? Did she not want him to defeat Ganondorf? "I don't understand," he told her.

"Remember it, and in time you will. Perhaps sooner than you think." She winked at him. Then she turned back to the forest and glided into the trees where she eventually disappeared.

Link considered her parting words. Then the Deku Sprout piped up, "I felt that, you know, when you froze time. It feels very strange, almost like when you're pushing your roots through the ground... oh, right, you don't have roots, do you? But that's what it felt like. You must be pretty powerful to be able to use a spell like that! You're pretty special, even for a Hylian..."

Navi gasped, "A what?"

The Deku Sprout gave her an odd look. "Wasn't it obvious? I mean, he's definitely not a Kokiri since Kokiri don't grow, at least, not very fast, and he's a lot bigger than when the forest last saw him, but I guess you wouldn't know that since you hadn't met him until seven years ago. Ten years before that, his mother brought him here to escape a raid on her town. It wasn't a coincidence though; Destiny brought him here... at least, that's what the Great Deku Tree thought, and so he was raised here, even though no one like that had ever been here before..."

Link was never a Kokiri. The revelation hit him like a punch to the stomach. Of course, he should have known. He had even begun to suspect it when he had returned to find none of his former friends had aged a day in the seven years that he had been gone. Yet that sickening feeling was still potent enough to leave him weak in the knees. Why couldn't the Great Deku Tree have told him before? It might have made that distance between him and the other Kokiri a little more bearable.

Or would it? He recalled Rauru's conviction that light was truth and only evil feared it. Perhaps truth was just as frightening to good people as it was to the wicked. _Beneath its gaze, courage and wisdom thrive while cowardice and ignorance wither._ It seemed to him that it took a great amount of courage to face the truth. Would he have been strong enough to learn of his origins seven years ago?

The Deku Sprout continued, "The Great Deku Tree wanted to make sure he was ready before he faced the Great Evil that threatens our world. And see, he was right, wasn't he?" He beamed proudly. "One Sage awakened already and only four more to go!"

Link shook his head to clear himself of the shock. Then he nodded at the Deku Sprout. "Right. Four more to go." With everything that had happened - finding his childhood home reduced to festering, discovering his lifelong friend in danger and then that she was a Sage, realizing that he had never been a Kokiri - he had nearly forgotten what his mission was.

"We should return to the Temple of Time," said Navi. "Shiek told us he would meet us there once we awakened the Sage."

"Right," said Link again. After one last shake of his head, he turned, said to his fairy, "Let's go then," and began walking toward the village.

The Deku Sprout stopped him. "Oh, hey, wait a moment, Link! Is it all right if I talk to your fairy for a while? I think there's something I've got to tell her."

The two of them exchanged glances. Then Navi nodded and said, "Very well then. I will catch up to you later, Link."

He nodded and then turned and continued toward the village. Navi turned to the Deku Sprout and waited expectantly.

"Your name's Navi, isn't it?" he said. Without waiting for her reply, he continued, "The other trees told me that you were very special to him... the Great Deku Tree, I mean. He loved sharing all the stuff he knew with you because you ate it all up. He also knew that you would be the one he would choose to guide Link when it was time for him to leave because you're so loyal and dedicated and... oh no, I didn't mean to make you cry!" The Deku Sprout looked mortified at his blunder as Navi broke into sobs again. "I'm so sorry! Really, really sorry! I just thought you would like to know how much he loved you! I know you loved him a lot, and I just thought, er..." He waved his branches helplessly as Navi futilely tried to stem the tears from her eyes, sniffling repeatedly.

"It-it's okay," she managed to say in between sniffs. "I-I am grateful... sniff! ...to you for telling me this."

"Please don't cry! I don't like to see you so sad! I want to see you smiling like you did for the Great Deku Tree. He loved your smile. He didn't like to see you sad either, and that's why he didn't tell you when that evil man cursed him."

"What?"

"In fact, the only reason the evil man was able to curse him was because the Great Deku Tree used his powerful magic to protect the Kokiri and keep them from waking up so they wouldn't be scared. The evil man wanted the Spiritual Stone so bad that he was going to burn down the forest, and the Kokiri, too! But the Great Deku Tree stopped him and chased him away. He didn't know that the evil man put a baby Gohma inside him. When he finally found out, he wanted the Great Fairy to cure him but she was afraid she would hurt him instead and so that's when he decided to ask you to get Link to help."

 _But by that time, it was already too late,_ she thought, a cold wave rolling through her as she relived the memory. _We did our best, but he still died in the end. And it's all because of Ganondorf._ The cold wave was replaced by a burning hate, and she clenched her fists. _He will pay._

The Deku Sprout became concerned and he asked her, "Hey, Navi. Are you all right?"

She forced herself to relax her fists. She bowed and said stiffly, "Yes, I am all right. Thank you for telling me this." Then she turned and started drifting toward the village.

The Deku Sprout waved his branches in agitation and called after her, "Wait! Navi! Don't be so mad! Remember to love! Remember to be happy! NAVI!"

She didn't look back.


End file.
